Thursday PM: The man arrested for the numerous harassment incidents in Ballard has been identified as 28-year-old David Altomare. According to a KIRO7 report, Altomare has a criminal history and has exhibited past violent behavior targeting Asians.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is charging Altomare for hate crimes.
Altomare’s past transgressions date back to violent threats he made towards North Koreans and property damage in 2017, but his case was dismissed the following year when he plead guilty in mental health court. His 24-month mental health supervision ended in February 2020.
According to the charging documents, Altomare is known to be experienced in mixed martial arts, and told officers at the time of his arrest, “You don’t have enough tasers to take me down.”
Altomare had been staying with his brother in the Ballard Valdok apartments, who reported him to the police after seeing his photo (above) distributed on various media outlets.
Seattle Police are still investigating, and Altomare’s bail has been set at $100,000. His arraignment is scheduled for June 11.
Tuesday 1pm: Police have a suspect in custody for an anti-Asian harassment incident reported on Monday evening.
Lauri Miller saw the incident from her apartment in central Ballard, reporting in the My Ballard Group that she heard shouting outside her window.
“I went and opened the window and I saw a guy walking away from a couple, at least one of whom was Asian. He was walking back towards 15th but he turned around and started chasing the couple. He was running really fast really really fast towards them and they weren’t looking back at him so I yelled look out! They turned and saw him and took off running,” Lauri writes.
SPD’s Mark Jamieson tells My Ballard that the Monday incident was similar to the previous harassment cases over the weekend, and that detectives are still interviewing people to determine if it’s the same individual responsible.
Tuesday AM: Seattle Police say the person was not located on Monday evening. The case remains open, and anyone with information on the individual is asked to contact the SPD tip line at (206) 233-5000.
Monday PM: Police responded to 56th St. NW and 17 Ave. NW on Monday night after several eyewitnesses reported seeing a man matching the description of the suspect in the anti-Asian harassment cases.
One eyewitness says she saw the man yelling and chasing after a couple walking on Market St. A photo posted in the My Ballard Facebook group shows a man who looks similar to the photo released by Seattle Police yesterday.
Here’s our earlier story. We’ll keep you updated.
Thank you for your reporting on this. I live in this neighborhood and it’s been scary as this also seems to be the man who’s frequently yelling in the night. I think I saw a brave fellow chasing the man this evening. Please keep up the reporting and tell us if the attacker is in custody.
why on earth would anyone feel this comment negative???
Haha, it’s because they think he’s homeless and anyone who is homeless can’t be held accountable for anything. You know, because the housed oppressors that have jobs and all that horrible stuff.
You’re such a joke Seattle.
yet you live here.
I know.
Hoping Seattle can return to normal with decent parks and vibe.
Fingers crossed but in the age of cheap heroin, enabling homeless policy and city leaders ignorant of facts, it’s hard to see that happening anytime soon. It’s not homeless problem, it’s a drug problem City Councilmembers are leveraging for political expedience.
People are so stupid they voted in a Mike O’Brien clone to continue to enable heroin addicts to destroy our parks and themselves. Huh?
Way to think that through Dan Strauss voters.
The best way to kill a heroin addict is to enable them to be a heroin addict. Nice job you compassionate idiots. Enabling encampments and defunding SPD is the perfect prescription for addicts. Harboring rapist, pedophiles, automatic weapons and stolen goods in these encampments defies logic too.
Sweeps! Sweeps!! Sweeps!!
Support the sweeping of encampments!
20+ people are in shelter from the Ballard Commons instead of in Hep A squalor. The rest are drug addicts that choose to live in Hep A squalor. Yet, Dan Strauss wanted to let them stay. How is that compassion?
Seattle is such a trainwreck. It’s almost like they hear criticism on Fox News and say, “Oh yeah, hold my organic, cage free, no animal testing kombucha… I support public urination. Honey Buckets are the oppressors! Tax Amazon!!”
A city whose collective voice is a wimper facing the bullhorn of reality.
Remember the time CM Herbold called SPD when an RV pulled up in front of her house? Yep, that’s hypocrisy people. Dan Strauss lives in his parents basement. Wtf?
It’s too early in the morning to be drinking. Maybe lay off until at least noon?
“Hoping Seattle can return to normal with decent parks and vibe”
So now tell us how trolling and spewing hate on a community blog is going to accomplish anything towards that goal? Just “hoping” that somebody else comes along and magically makes things return back to normal for you, like your mommy did, isn’t going to work for this now is it? So maybe try putting on your big-boy pants and get out there and work towards the change you want to see?
Because homeless tweakers rank higher than employed Asians on the intersectional victim scale. Sorry.
Why do you keep linking to a private Facebook page? You might as well link to a brick wall…
We’re careful about posting eyewitness photos of possible suspects unless we’re able to confirm them independently. We also want to preserve the private nature of the Facebook group especially when it concerns witnessing a possible crime. Any current or former Ballard-area resident can request to join. We post newsworthy developments, to the best of our ability, here on MyBallard.com.
Meh
This bozo needs a good ass whooping !
Or as a Dan Strauss voter would say, “He needs housing, no incarceration, drugs OK, mental health counseling but only if he wants it, hygiene kits, free food, ability to camp anywhere, sell drugs and a big hug. That will change his behaviour.”
Hahahaha, idiots. Social Justice to the rescue! Saving…. no one!!!!
How does it feel to be the village idiot?
I know, I thought Social Justice Warriors new their limits. Nope!
Nice job SPD!!
And now where everything falls apart – Pete Holmes and Seattle judges. He’ll be out in 48 hours, 24 if he’s homeless.
Shouldn’t you be sticking to blaming Mike O’Brien for all our problems?
let me guess, next step is we have to feel sorry for this a-hole? even if he is “mentally ill” he certainly is with it enough to know who he’s menacing and what his reasons are (in his mind).
Wish one of the harassed would have beaten the hell out of him.
Same here, only problem, in this town, the harassed who takes matters in their own hands would be viewed as the bad guy… it defies all logic.
Of course it was Lauri Miller! She is Ballard’s crime Zelig. She was in the Texas School Book Depository. The Ambassador Hotel kitchen. The Lorraine Hotel. Lauri is a force of nature.
Well I wonder how before the courts turn him loose again !
Wonder how until you learn how properly a sentence together.
Well I wonder how long before the courts turn him loose again !
The judges will let him back on the streets in a few days !
He’s a nut job !