TACOMA, Wash. — The victim of a random stabbing at Point Defiance Park spoke to the media on Wednesday, describing her harrowing, near-death experience with an unknown assailant and imploring anyone with information about the suspect to come forward.
The woman, referred to by police as "Jane," asked that anyone who recognized her not identify her on social media. She said she and her family are still fearing for their safety as the suspect is still at large.
Police are concerned the suspect has either attacked someone else previously or will attack someone again. Those working on the case said they believe there is a risk to the public while the suspect is still at large.
Jane said Feb. 10 started as a beautiful day at Point Defiance Park. She recalled strolling along the blue trail near Owen Beach, passing many people along the way. At one point she saw a man enter the trail and walk past her. She thought nothing of it.
A short while later, she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She turned around and was surprised to see the man "one foot from my face." She offered to step aside and get out of his way, but he said "No, I'm good, thanks."
"He looked like any normal guy," Jane said.
She moved to the other side of the trail and continued walking. After taking several steps, she again heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Then she felt the first blow to her head.
Jane said she began screaming for help and that she was being attacked. "Blow after blow" struck her head, the back of her neck, and shoulders.
"My eyes were clouded by the blood pouring down my face as I tried to fight back and run," she said.
She continued screaming but did not hear anyone respond. She realized she was alone on this part of the trail.
The suspect knocked her to the ground and partway off the path. He sat on Jane's legs to prevent her from kicking and pinned her arms to her sides. That was when she saw the knife.
"I begged him to let me go, that I could give him money, that I would give him anything he wanted if he would let me live," Jane said. "That was when he made it verbally explicit that his intent was to kill me - and he told me to tilt my neck back so he could end my pain."
Jane said she fought back as hard as she could, biting the man once and also biting the knife. She used her hands to try and shield her face and neck from the knife. At one point, he cut her neck near her carotid artery.
"I thank god every day that he missed," Jane said.
She continued screaming that a man was trying to kill her until she finally heard someone yell back, "Is everything alright?" Jane screamed again for help. A woman and her husband and one other couple ran toward her. The woman told the suspect not to kill Jane and tried to distract him, but he turned and tried to cut Jane's neck again. The woman ran up and kicked the suspect in the head, prompting him to run away down the trail.
Jane laid on the ground while the woman and another person cradled her head and face, keeping pressure on her injuries. She said breathing caused her "excruciating pain."
"I kept crying out how much I wanted to live," Jane said. "How I didn't want to die out there."
EMTs arrived and rushed Jane to the hospital. She said she suffered multiple lacerations and scars on her hands, neck and face. She said it was hard to believe that she still had the use of her eyes and ears. She said she still struggles to breathe normally. Her left arm and side are weak and she cannot pick anything up without help. Jane said she has more than 120 staples in her skull, neck and upper back.
Jane went on to describe the fear she now lives with daily.
"I used to be physically active and social, going outdoors for runs and hikes, going to the gym with my friends to rock climb," Jane said. "Now, sitting up, sleeping and walking around my house cause me pain, and I feel completely helpless. I know someday when I fully recover I will never take my mobility for granted again."
Jane went on to say that fear now envelops her life.
"All I could think as I lay on the ground trying to fight him off was, 'This can't be how I die, there's so much I still haven't done,'" Jane said. "I just kept thinking of all my loved ones that I would never see again. I was one wrong move from being killed, I was completely alone, and I still can't believe I survived."
Jane said she could no longer stand the sound of footsteps coming from behind her.
"I can't stop looking over my shoulder, and that's if I even leave my house, which at this point I've only done for medical appointments and even then I'm still terrified."
Jane said she still loves the city of Tacoma and its parks, especially Point Defiance. She said before this week, she never felt unsafe. She said however, the lack of security at the park, and the decision to reopen the park the day after the attack despite the suspect still being at large was "shocking" to her.
"To my fellow Tacomans, I'd like to say that our city is only as safe as we make it, and if you see someone in danger please do what you can to help them," Jane said. "Any action could mean the difference between life and death."
Jane credited the two couples who came to her aid with saving her life.
"The woman who came to my rescue and kicked the man in the head saw he had a knife and still intervened," Jane said. "Later she told me that she would kick a hundred guys in the head to save my life."
Jane advised those who continue to visit Tacoma parks to do so with a friend and implored anyone with information on the suspect to come forward.
Tacoma Police Department Detective Jennifer Quilio said a police sketch of the suspect has resulted in multiple leads, saying they were provided with a variety of names of potential suspects and they are actively investigating them. They are still asking the public to come forward with more information. She said police believe there is a "significant" risk to the public while the suspect remains at large.
"We think that the risk is incredibly real that the person who did this would do it again," Quilio said. "The resolution that we area looking for is a successful arrest and prosecution."
Quilio said that there are currently emphasis patrols by the Tacoma Police Department at Point Defiance Park since the attack occurred, including patrol cars and a four-member bicycle team.
She said this case has been the aggravated assault unit's sole focus since the attack occurred.
"We have done nothing but this case for the last nine days."
There is a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and charges filed against the suspect in this incident. Anyone who recognizes the suspect in the sketch is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Pierce County at tpcrimestoppers.com, call (800) 222-TIPS, or use the P3 tips app. Anyone who encounters the person depicted in the sketch is asked to call 911.