Local chef murdered in light rail attack; search continues for suspects
May 11, 2024, 8:24 PM | Updated: May 13, 2024, 5:56 pm
Seattle鈥檚 restaurant community is grieving the death of one of its own. A chef was murdered — stabbed to death — in the Capitol Hill light rail station Saturday night.
Now the search is on for his killers.
We are learning that the 37-year-old victim was a chef at Harry鈥檚 Fine Foods on Seattle鈥檚 Capitol Hill. After getting word of the chef鈥檚 death, the owners of Harry鈥檚 Fine Foods shut down on what would have been a busy Mother鈥檚 Day. The owners plan to be closed tomorrow, too.
That鈥檚 just how deeply this tragedy is being felt here. A bouquet of flowers and a sign, all indications that this was no ordinary Mother鈥檚 Day at this small neighborhood restaurant.
鈥淎ny time that that happens it鈥檚 always a real person,鈥� said Eedie DeRoest.
The 37-year-old chef at Harry鈥檚 Fine Foods mattered to DeRoest. He was her coworker for the month and a half she has worked here.
She was asked how she was doing.
鈥淚 mean, I don鈥檛 know,鈥� she said, sadness in her voice. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 pretend I knew him very well, you know. I鈥檓 sorry for his family and friends. I can only imagine.鈥�
Eyewitnesses say about a half mile away at the Capitol Hill Light Rail station, he got into an altercation with two men that quickly turned violent. Seattle police say he was stabbed multiple times. Good Samaritans tried to stop the bleeding, but he later died at Harborview Medical Center.
His death is hitting Seattle鈥檚 close-knit restaurant community hard.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all connected, somehow,鈥� said Shea Bigger, a local bar server. 鈥淲e all have mutual friends. So, it does, you know, you feel it.鈥�
In a statement, Sound Transit insists the light rail system is safe. There have been 3.4 million riders on light rail and just 47 assaults through February. But in its 15-year-life, three riders have died here, two of them since January.
鈥淚t was going to be a big day,鈥� said DeRoest. 鈥淲e were all trying to get like 鈥榚at your wheaties, you know. It鈥檚 going to be a big day.鈥欌��
DeRoest says the owners made the right decision to close on Mother鈥檚 Day, even on a potentially big revenue day. Her coworker鈥檚 death is a stark reminder of life鈥檚 uncertainty.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just you never know what鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� she said.
Sound Transit insists these deadly attacks are rare. Still, they plan to increase security at the Capitol Hill station to make riders feel safer.
There are cameras throughout the light rail system, so Seattle police probably have some idea of what these suspects look like.
But anyone with information that could help catch the culprits is asked to call 911.
