SEATTLE — In less than 24 hours, two separate women say they were faced with a scary encounter at Seattle Center. Both were walking their dogs when they said a man came up and began yelling derogatory comments at them.
Police confirmed that they are aware of and are investigating these two separate reports.
The Seattle Center grounds are filled with people walking and kids playing as the iconic Space Needle watches over.
“You kind of rely on that. You know there’s a bunch of people around. You’re safe," said Seattle local Anna McAlister.
Walking has always been peaceful for McAlister who averages 5 miles a day with her dog.
That sense of security was shattered for her on Tuesday morning when a man initially exposed himself to her.
“I quickly looked away and headed up the path,” she said.
The man followed, whispering to her. She said she tried getting to safety and even put her hand in his face, telling him to stop. He gratuitously exposed himself again.
"He yelled behind me a really scary sexual threat and called me a b----," said McAlister.
McAlister was finally able to ask a young couple to walk with her and called the police. She also posted to the Nextdoor app. That’s where she saw a post from another woman from the night before.
"She was describing exactly the same man, (being) attacked by him, physically attacked the night before,” said McAlister.
Monday night a woman wrote that she was walking with her dogs and a man began screaming derogatory comments about her perceived sexual identity and punched her in the face. SPD told me someone has been identified in this second case and an assault charge is expected to be filed soon.
The two women believe they were targeted by the same man but SPD says it’s too early in the investigation to tell.
SPD and Seattle Center said assault and harassment reports are trending the same as 2021. Seattle Center said that they are also investigating these incidents and they appear to be isolated. The center averages 1.2 assaults a month and most of those are assaults on their security officers.
Police said it’s important to try and find safety like McAlister did and call 911 immediately for people who ever find themselves in a similar situation.