A 21-year-old Norwegian college student will likely end up blind after being attacked outside the Ballard Smoke Shop (5439 Ballard Ave NW) on May 17 after the Syttende Mai parade. The Seattle P-I reports that King County prosecutors say Michael J. Squibb, 54, slammed a glass into Joakim Grevstad’s face just before midnight. They also report that witnesses unaffiliated with either man told the police that Squibb attacked without provocation before fleeing the bar. The probable cause documents show that Grevstad was very drunk, and that bar staff had cut him off. Squibb contends that he was provoked; he said he was being pushed by Grevstad and warned him to back off before hitting him with the glass.
KOMO reports that, “according to the probable cause documents, Grevstad, who is in the United States to attend college, suffered serious facial and eye injuries requiring surgery. He will likely be blind and lose an eye in addition to facing lifelong pain from his injuries.”
