University Place Police Reports: Fight With Hatchet Outside Safeway, Man Assaulted With Beer Glass

FEB. 22, 2013

Assault with Hatchet: Officers responded to Safeway at 4:38 a.m. to a report of a man walking around with a hatchet. He was contacted outside of Rite Aid and was injured; he is a transient man known to frequent Bridgeport Way.

The man said that he was outside Safeway when an unknown Asian male in his 20s said, “what up,” then started punching him with closed fists, striking him repeatedly. Because he is homeless, the man carries his tools and belongings with him, and after receiving multiple hits to the face, the victim pulled out his hatchet to defend himself. He said he started swinging his hatchet and might have struck the perpetrator a few times. The man stopped attacking him and fled in an unknown direction in a white car. Police advised area hospitals to be on the lookout for someone with hatchet wounds, and the homeless man was treated for his injuries. The case has been forwarded to investigators.

FEB. 23, 2013

Assault: Police were dispatched to the UP Station Bar and Grill at 1:30 a.m. for an assault that occurred inside the bar. They walked in to find a large group of people surrounding a man on the floor, who was bleeding from a large cut on his head and was starting to go into shock. West Pierce Fire and Rescue responded to the scene; he was treated his injuries and transported to the hospital.

Investigators learned that another customer threw a beer glass at his head after the victim tried to break up a fight between three other people. The victim said he was only trying to help diffuse a fight and never saw what hit him, or the person who threw it.

FEB. 24, 2013

Mental Health: Officers were dispatched to McDonald’s at approximately 3 p.m. regarding an aggressive male displaying a knife. The man was reported to be doing “karate moves” in the parking lot. Police recognized the man from prior incidents and knew he had mental health issues. Police located a knife on his person. He told police the other man had challenged him, after they communicated telepathically. He started becoming aggressive toward police and he was involuntarily committed for observation at the hospital.

FEB. 25, 2013

Destruction of Property: At 4:23 p.m. officers responded to McDonalds for a report of vandalism to The Village Retirement Community van. The reporting party said she parked the van to do some grocery shopping and returned to find the passenger window shattered by a large rock. A witness told police she spoke to a 14-year-old Curtis High student in the store who was laughing about breaking out a van window.

Police went to the boy’s home and he told officers he was throwing rocks at birds in the parking lot near the bus, but that his friend did it. He denied breaking the window. He is to be charged with vandalism in juvenile court.

FEB. 26, 2013

Car Prowls: Two cars were prowled at Chambers Creek North Meadow Park around 4 p.m. One of the victims said she was walking the trail and returned to find her car window shattered and her purse missing.