Woman stabbed inside Bothell apartment; suspect barricaded himself for hours

BOTHELL, Wash. — Frightening moments inside a Bothell apartment on Wednesday as police say a man viciously stabbed a woman, then barricaded himself for hours.

The standoff happened at a complex on Bothell-Everett Highway.

The woman was taken to Harborview Medical Center with what were described as ‘’life-threatening injuries.’’

The man surrendered at about 2 p.m.

Deputies worked for hours to get the man to give up.

For nearly five long hours, they tried talking to him, used loud noises, and lobbed pepper balls into the apartment. A shattered window is evidence of that.

All to get him to surrender.

“There were nine police cars and people running,” said resident Adam Farr, “And them putting up police tape and saying I can’t leave anymore.”

Farr and his neighbors watched as Snohomish County Sheriff’s deputies descended on The District apartment complex after a 911 call that a woman had been brutally stabbed inside her unit.

Deputies managed to get her out, but a 45-year-old suspect barricaded himself in one of the rooms.

“The police brought in a drone,” said Farr, “and they flew the drone by the windows and was announcing their presence.”

That sparked an hours-long negotiation.

“SWAT is here,” said Courtney O’Keefe, Sheriff’s spokeswoman. “They are using several tactics. They’ve been negotiating with him over the phone for quite some time. That has not been successful.”

About four hours in, their tactics escalated. Deputies lobbed pepper bombs into the apartment. They brought in what looked like a chainsaw.

Then just after 2 p.m., medics arrived and soon after came down the stairs carrying a man in a sling.

“He has been transported by aid to the hospital,” O’Keefe said. “It does appear he has self-inflicted wounds. I don’t know the nature of those. But it appears they might be serious.”

All of it left those who live here shaken.

“It’s unheard of,” said Amanda Nonu, a resident. “I walk up this same path almost every day. I’ve never felt unsafe.”

Deputies said two other people, including a 17-year-old, witnessed the assault. They were not hurt.

The woman, who is 39 years old, is in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.

Deputies say she and the suspect once had a romantic relationship, the nature of which they are still trying to determine.

The suspect was taken to Providence Everett Regional Medical Center. As soon as he is released, he will be booked into the Snohomish County jail.

©2023 Cox Media Group