A man accused of a brutal baseball bat attack against a Chinese woman in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood has been charged with assault on Friday, according to reports.
The incident, which was caught on surveillance video, occurred in the 200 block of Cedar Street at around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, as per The Seattle Times.
The victim, whose name has not been officially released by authorities, was walking home from work when 31-year-old Wantez Jamel Tulloss allegedly struck her head with a baseball bat from behind.
In the video, the suspect can be seen dropping two bags in his right hand so that he could use both hands to hit Wang with the bat.
Police responded to a 911 call and found Wang lying on the sidewalk with a bloodied right ear. She sustained skull fractures that required “significant surgery.”
Tulloss allegedly roamed around after the attack and even treated himself to a slice of pizza, according to the New York Post. He then returned to his apartment, a transitional housing facility around 500 feet (152.40 meters) from the scene of the incident.
Tulloss has been charged with first-degree assault. It is unclear exactly when he was arrested, but he remains at the Kings County Correctional Facility on a $150,000 bail as of Wednesday. If convicted, he could receive a prison sentence of up to 12 years, as well as 36 months of community custody.
“The randomness, the viciousness of it. It’s absolutely disturbing that’s why we rush filed [sic] the case,” said Casey McNerthney of the King County Prosecutor’s Office, as per KOMO News. “This video is nauseating, it’s awful to watch. But we have prosecutors who are doing everything they can to hold this person accountable and we’re going to keep doing it whether it’s this case or other cases.”
Washington State courts have reportedly issued 11 warrants for Tulloss’ arrest since 2012. He has been convicted of nine misdemeanors and two felonies for robbery and breaking into private property. According to investigators, Tulloss currently has a warrant for theft in the third degree out of the Kirkland Municipal Court.
Wang, who works at Amazon, told police that she has family members in China. An investigation of the incident and the suspect’s motives is underway.
NextShark has reached out to the King County Prosecutor’s Office for further comment on the attack.
Featured Image via King County Prosecutor’s Office
