Seattle Police say they are investigating a Central District assault of a black woman traveling with her child by multiple white men after she got off a bus earlier this week.
A call to the Seattle Police Department by the Globalist has not yet been returned, but Black Owned Media Broadcasting Company (BOMB) reported that the Seattle Police would not confirm whether the assault is being investigated as a hate crime.
Journalist Sakara Remmu of BOMB reported that she interviewed multiple witnesses and the victim, who told BOMB that the woman was followed off a bus Tuesday for several blocks by a group of white men who then physically attacked her in front of her six-year-old son.
Remmu also posted in her report that the incident spurred community concerns that the attack was a racially motivated hate crime, and that others in the neighborhood could be attacked.
Conflicting information about the assault swirled on social media for a day, prompting the Seattle Police to call over social media for witnesses or the victim to come forward. Police tweeted Thursday morning that the victim was interviewed.
Remmu said that after the incident, the woman was accused by others in the community of making the story up, which led to conflicting reports on Facebook and abusive comments made to her and about her in person and online.
Remmu chastised those who tracked the woman down to harass her online, at home and at her work.
“A lot of people owe this woman an apology,” Remmu said.
Video: Black Owned Media Broadcasting Company
Editor’s note: this post has been updated with more information from BOMB.
