Prosecutors charged Kamilia Chadli with second-degree assault after an attack that police initially investigated as a suspected hate crime.
SEATTLE, WA — A 36-year-old woman has been charged with second-degree assault after authorities said she attacked a stranger in downtown Seattle and bit her forehead, leaving an injury that police said will require surgery.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office identified the defendant as Kamilia Chadli. Seattle police said the attack happened around 3:45 p.m. Sept. 18 near Third Avenue and Marion Street. Police described the incident as a suspected hate crime after the victim reported that the stranger directed racist and homophobic language at her during the confrontation.
According to police, the victim said she was walking past the woman when the stranger threw a food wrapper at her. When the victim questioned why the wrapper had been thrown, police said the woman made a remark about the victim’s race and used a homophobic slur. Authorities said the woman then spit on the victim before grabbing her and pulling her to the ground.
Police said the attacker bit the victim on the forehead during the struggle, causing a wound about 1 inch across. Officers who responded found the injured woman at the scene, and she was taken to a hospital for treatment. Seattle police said the injury was expected to have permanent effects and require surgery.
A witness intervened during the attack and attempted to separate the two women, according to police. Authorities said the witness then followed the suspect and alerted a King County marshal near the courthouse. The 36-year-old suspect was taken into custody and initially booked in connection with suspected felony assault and a hate crime offense.
Prosecutors later filed a charge of second-degree assault against Chadli. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said a hate crime charge had not been filed as of Thursday but could still be added if investigators develop evidence that meets the legal standard required under Washington law.
Washington treats a hate crime as a separate criminal offense rather than an enhancement automatically added to another charge. Prosecutors said they would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that an attack was motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived membership in a class protected under state law before obtaining a hate crime conviction.
Prosecutors said Chadli did not appear to have a previous criminal record in King County. In court filings cited by local media, prosecutors described the alleged attack as extremely violent and said the victim was likely to face lasting consequences from her injuries. The filings also referenced previous police contacts involving Chadli, but those contacts are not criminal convictions and do not establish guilt in the current case.
Bail for Chadli was set at $150,000. The second-degree assault allegation remains pending, and the possibility of an additional hate crime charge depends on the continuing review of evidence. Chadli is accused of the offense and has not been convicted.
Author note: Last updated September 25, 2026.