3 stabbed in 'unprovoked and random attack' outside Nordstrom flagship store

Three people were stabbed Tuesday morning outside the Nordstrom flagship store in downtown Seattle.

The incident was reported at 10:07 a.m. Tuesday, and the suspect fled to 8th Avenue and Olive Way where he was arrested about 10:20 a.m. without clothes. Follow this link to see photos from the scene. 

Initial reports said the stabbings happened inside the store, but police said the stabbings were outside. The Nordstrom flagship is at 500 Pine Street. Chopper 7 footage is below, along with time-stamped updates. 

3:10 p.m.: Harborview updated the ages of the two stabbing victims taken to the hospital. One was 79 and the other was 77.

2:01 p.m.: The stabbing suspect was identified as Christopher R. Morisette, 29, who has an extensive criminal history and spent time at Western State, the state's largest phyciatric hospital. In Morisette's most recent case -- a December 2018 attack on a woman at a mental health facility -- Morisette was given credit for time served, and he was released from jail less than a month after the attack.

11:21 a.m.: Police clarified that the 77-year-old man was stabbed in the back; the 75-year-old man was stabbed in the neck and the man in his 50s was stabbed in the forearm.

11:12 a.m.: One of the stabbing victims was a Nordstrom employee. Company spokeswoman Jennifer Tice Walker emailed the following statement: "There was a situation outside our Downtown Seattle store earlier today in which one of our employees was injured. We're partnering closely with the Seattle Police Department as they investigate this incident and are working to ensure our employee has the support he needs."

11:06 a.m.: Police gave a briefing and said the suspect was at the West Precinct. One of the three people stabbed ran to a nearby business, but Sgt. Sean Whitcomb didn't name the location. The suspect, who was uninjured, was arrested at 8th and Olive Way. Whitcomb called the incident "an unprovoked and random attack." The suspect was naked when he was arrested, but was clothed during the attack, Whitcomb said.

10:58 a.m.: Seattle fire said the three patients were a 77-year-old man, a 75-year-old man and a 55-year-old man. The men in their 70s were in stable condition. The 55-year-old declined to go to a hospital.

10:56 a.m.: Seattle police said to expect a briefing at the scene shortly. KIRO 7 has a crew outside the Nordstrom flagship store and will livestream the briefing above.

10:49 a.m.: 6th Avenue reopened to traffic in downtown Seattle.

10:40 a.m.: Seattle police said two people were taken to Harborview Medical Center. One was a 75-year-old man in stable condition. Police were working to gather details on the second victim. A third person was being treated, but declined transport to a hospital.

10:25 a.m.: Police say there are at least two patients being treated at the scene. "More info to come."

10:17 a.m.: Seattle police say the suspect is in custody and a knife was recovered in the area.

10:15 a.m.: One northbound lane of Olive Way was blocked, and an eastbound bus lane is blocked at 6th Avenue. Seattle's Department of Transportation tells people to use caution.

10:07 a.m.: Seattle police and medics were called to 1617 6th Avenue.

See an interview with a man who witnessed the stabbings and helped chase the suspect down:

See raw video from the scene below:

Related news from KIRO 7

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