Mercer Island man assaulted 6 at Kaiser Permanente in Capitol Hill

The suspect was seeking treatment for an unknown virus after travelling abroad.

A Mercer Island man is facing charges after attacking medical staff and police.

On March 9 at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Capitol Hill, a 29-year-old man sought treatment for an unknown virus after traveling abroad in Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia.

A medical staff member began drawing blood when the suspect ripped the butterfly needle from his vein, and thrusted himself towards the employee after a failed attempt to restrain the subject.

The suspect got on top of the medical worker and stabbed him three times with the needle while continuously punching the victim in the head.

The suspect departed from the hospital, but not before assaulting his doctor, three women, and his own father who had accompanied him to the treatment center.

Two officers from the Seattle Police Department located the suspect about eight blocks from Kaiser Permanente. Officers commanded that the subject cease running. The suspect slowed down but then lunged at one of the officers with his butterfly needle.

The officer dodged the lunge, and withdrew his handgun from its holster — the gun was reholstered after the subject relaxed.

As the suspect walked away, the second responding officer followed with his stun gun drawn, while the first officer continued to command that the subject to drop his needle.

The suspect released his butterfly needle and was arrested. He was charged with five counts of second degree assault, and is being held on $75,000 bail.