Christopher Morisette, the man who police said stabbed three random victims Tuesday outside the Nordstrom flagship store in downtown Seattle, appeared in court Wednesday afternoon.
King County District Court Judge Art Chapman ordered Morisette held on $750,000 bail.
Morisette said nothing, but looked at the gallery as he entered the jailhouse courtroom. Before he left, Morisette either kissed or rested his face on the courtroom desk in front of him.
Police said Morisette stabbed his first victim as he walked down the street – after a witness said Morisette stabbed himself in the chest. Then police said he cut another man’s neck. The third victim was then stabbed in the back before the suspect allegedly threw the knife into a FedEx truck.
“He just started screaming,” said witness Richard Johnson, who helped police track the suspect. “And then he started running up Pike Street.” Police arrested him near Eighth Avenue and Olive Way
Morisette, 29, has a history of mental health-related and drug-related attacks. He’s described himself as a homeless, schizophrenic drug user who went crazy after losing his job.
Morisette also has a history of random victims. The Department of Corrections classified him as a highly violent offender, and prosecutors previously said they were concerned Morisette was highly likely to reoffend.
If Morisette had received the maximum sentence in his most recent Seattle Municipal Court case, he could have been in jail Tuesday.
Yet, in that case a judge went below a prosecutor's recommended sentence, and Morisette was soon back on the streets. Follow this link to read additional details and see raw video from the Tuesday morning stabbing scene.
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