Suspect in West Seattle homicide still on the loose

WEST SEATTLE, Wash. — The hunt is on tonight for the suspect in a deadly stabbing on Alki Beach in West Seattle. It comes as Seattle police had already begun stepping up patrols on the popular strip.

All police are saying about the victim is that he is a man in his 20s. Eyewitnesses say he was stabbed during a confrontation with another man near Alki and Harbor Avenues.

The news is still reaching a lot of people who live along Alki Beach.

Erin and Steve Szekely said they hadn't heard about the fatal stabbing.

"We hadn't watched the local news today," said Steve Szekely. "We went to a movie this morning."

"Well, I did see flashing lights from our living room but you know I just thought that, there weren't any sirens or anything," said Erin Szekely. "Just a lot of flashing lights and I didn't look. So that must have been it."

"That's horrible," said Steve Szekely.

Eyewitnesses say there was a group altercation just before 10 p.m. Saturday. Then it devolved into a fight between two men. The victim's friends were using their belts to lash out at the suspect.  At some point, the victim was stabbed.

"We immediately started CPR on the victim but sadly he died here at the scene," said Seattle police spokesman Patrick Michaud.

Michaud said homicide detectives were working to figure out who stabbed him.

"Speaking with witnesses, collecting evidence, going over body worn video, surveillance video," said Michaud.  "All sorts of stuff and hopefully we're going to be able to get you guys a suspect description here very soon. But at this point it remains unclear who the suspect is."

Eyewitnesses said the suspect calmly walked away.

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On this gray and rainy Sunday afternoon, flowers lie near the place where the man was stabbed to death Saturday night.

Heather Hawthorne said she watched the sad aftermath from a nearby balcony. She too was moved to leave flowers.

"I heard there was three guys and one of them ran," said Hawthorne. "I honestly don't know. But it's just sad. I just wanted to pay respects."

Seattle police were able to reach the scene very quickly last night. Because they had just resumed extra patrols here on Alki, something they started after a murder here last year.

Police say they need help solving Saturday night's fatal stabbing.  Anyone who knows anything about it is asked to call 911.

Cox Media Group