A West Vancouver man is facing possible charges after allegedly going on a bizarre rampage in downtown Seattle July 25.
A video posted on social media shows a man allegedly attacking a Seattle parking enforcement officer. photo supplied twitter.com/robotwood
Video captured by bystanders and posted on social media shows a man standing on top of a car in the middle of the street, tearing the sunroof off the top of a vehicle and then swinging it wildly at a parking attendant and trying to hit him with it.
According to a report by the Seattle Police Department, the strange incident happened around 5:40 p.m. last Thursday afternoon, when a man on a downtown Seattle street near 2nd Avenue and Spring Street jumped on top of a Toyota Corolla that was stopped in traffic, damaging the roof.
The man then hopped on to another vehicle, before jumping on to the hood of a black Tesla 3, denting it then “threw his body against the Tesla’s windshield, severely damaging it,” according to the police report.
The man then jumped on to the roof of a grey Honda Civic, ripped a moon roof window off the vehicle and jumped into the street, swinging it at an off-duty traffic officer, attempting to assault him with it.
The man with the sun roof allegedly grabbed the face of the off-duty officer, sticking a finger into his left eye, according to the police report. The off-duty officer told police he believed the man was “attempting to gouge his eyes out,” according to the report.
The off-duty officer was then knocked to the ground before numerous bystanders helped to subdue his attacker on the ground.
The police report also refers to a second alleged victim, who said he was grabbed by the throat by a stranger — who police said matched the attacker’s description — as he was walking along the street.
Police officers who arrived on the scene shortly after described the alleged attacker as being in a “highly agitated, most likely drug induced, state.”
Damage to the vehicles was estimated by police at about $18,000, including $10,000 damage to the Tesla.
Matt Reynolds, owner of the Tesla, started filming the melee after the man jumped on to the hood of his car. His video includes footage of a man ripping up the sunroof, the alleged attack on the traffic officer and the eventual takedown by citizens and police.
Prosecutors were to decide by the end of Tuesday whether the 28-year-old West Vancouver man will be charged with offences including assault and malicious mischief.
The man was released from custody on bail July 26.
