King County Sheriff seeking hate crime suspect

White male confronted Muslim female and displayed handgun.

Seatac Police detectives are releasing photographs hoping to identify the suspect from a malicious harassment incident that occurred March 1st at a 7-Eleven in Seatac.

Investigators are looking for a white male, 30-45 years old, 5 foot 6 inches to 5 foot 8 inches, 200 pounds, chubby, with brown or graying hair.  He was driving a dark blue or black 1997 GMC Jimmy.  He was armed with a handgun.

At about 7 p.m. on March 1, the suspect was in the 7-Eleven parking lot at 3120 S 176th St in SeaTac and appeared to be putting water in the radiator of his GMC Jimmy. When the two Muslim female victims arrived in their car, he confronted them and chatted them up as one victim went in the store. The second victim remained in the vehicle. The suspect began flirting with her despite her polite dismissal. The suspect’s demeanor changed and he accused Muslims of being violent, said he didn’t trust them and he hated them. He then pulled a small black pistol out of his pocket and showed it to her. She continued talking to him calmly and rolled her window up. When she refused to open her door, the suspect left in the suspect vehicle.

Commonly referred to as a hate crime, felony malicious harassment includes threatening or placing someone in fear of harm because of one’s perception of the victim’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory handicap.