A 19 year-old male transient was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for one count each of Assault in the First Degree and Robbery in the First Degree after detectives gained probable cause for his arrest in the brutal assault and robbery of a Marysville man on the evening of March 2^nd at Totem Middle School in Marysville.

Acting on a tip, detectives were able to confirm the identities of both the male and female present that night when the assault occurred. With the cooperation and assistance of the Marysville Police NITE Team, Everett Police Department Gang Unit, and the Everett Police Department Proactive Patrol Team, the suspect was located on Evergreen Way at about 7:30 PM last night, March 12^th.

When contacted by police, the 19 year-old suspect, who also had a felony warrant from Department of Corrections, fought with officers before being taken into custody. A second hatchet was also discovered on the male’s person, stuffed down the front of his pants. Along with the Marysville charges and his warrant, the suspect now faces new charges in Everett for drug-related crimes and resisting arrest.

The juvenile female that had been present during the assault was found with the male suspect. She was later released to her guardian without being arrested, though detectives continue to investigate.

Detective interviews yielded a rough timeline of events leading up to the assault; the juvenile female, a stranger to the victim, had run into him at a business in the 1000 block of State Avenue that night, stating that she was trying to find the suspect. The victim accompanied her on foot, where they eventually found the suspect, then elected to go to Totem Middle School to use narcotics together.

The juvenile said that she went across the street to Taco Bell for a few minutes, then heard screams as she returned to the school and saw the suspect strike the victim in the head with the axe. After the suspect stole items from the victim, he and the juvenile female quickly fled the area on foot. The axe used in the assault was recovered by police that night during a search of the area.

“This case was solved due to cooperation on multiple fronts,” said Sergeant Pete Shove. “Bystanders who rendered immediate first aid and quickly alerted law enforcement on the night of the incident, a concerned citizen’s tip, and the assistance of our neighboring law enforcement partners, all of which culminated in the successful apprehension of a dangerous suspect, now off the streets and behind bars. We thank all involved for their assistance in bringing this investigation to a swift resolution.”

The victim is now out of the hospital and recovering from a total of four skull fractures sustained in the assault.