Following her assault on two women at a political gathering, an 82-year-old Edmonds woman was taken into custody and charged with hate crimes. Following Donald Trump’s reelection victory over Kamala Harris, the suspect confronted the victims about their race and political beliefs at a gathering in support of a conservative candidate on Monday afternoon near 100th Avenue West and Edmonds Way, according to FOX 13 Seattle.
My Edmonds News reports that throughout the incident, the suspect became agitated and made an effort to push an officer while displaying her prior behavior. Before assaulting and beating a mixed-race victim, the suspect allegedly questioned why people of color would vote Trump and made remarks about her clothing and skin tone. When a second victim attempted to step in, she punched them.
The incident prompted Edmonds police to intervene quickly, but neither of the victims—a 66-year-old white woman and a 55-year-old woman of mixed race—were seriously hurt or in need of medical attention. Officers found probable cause based on the testimony of several witnesses. According to the patrol supervisor, the suspect exhibited no remorse and continued to pose a risk to others, which led to their arrest for a hate crime.
In a statement sent by KOMO News, Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen voiced his concern at the incident, saying, “I’m disheartened that this violence has occurred in our community,” and stressed the value of elections and free speech in a democracy. “Community members peacefully showing political support should not be subject to hateful violence,” Rosen continued, adding that he was grateful for the prompt responses to the attacks.