Man charged with Assault, Hate Crime in recent Kent bus stabbing

On Tuesday, Mar. 12, 2024, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Adan Hernandez-Mayoral with a Hate Crime and Assault in the Second Degree related to a stabbing incident last week.

As we previously reported, on Mar. 7, 2024 at 7:45 p.m., officers responded to reports of a stabbing near the 800 block of Central Avenue South.

Police said that a 43-year-old Kent resident, identified as an African American woman, called 911 stating she had been assaulted on a Metro bus.

The victim of the hate crime reported that the suspect approached her while on the bus, used racial slurs, and expressed hatred towards Black people. Feeling threatened, she approached the bus driver and requested assistance. Prosecutors said that the suspect followed her, forced her off the bus, and assaulted her with punches and a knife.

The defendant’s felony criminal history includes two convictions of Robbery in the 2nd Degree (2020), Assault 3rd Degree – DV (2019), and Felony Harassment – DV (2019).

The State requested bail be set in the amount of $250,000.

Hernandez-Mayoral’s arraignment will be held on March 25 at the MRJC in Kent.

Below are more details from charging documents:

• The victim reported being subjected to racial slurs by a male passenger sitting behind her on a bus in Kent. These slurs included the N-word and negative comments about Black people.
• The harassment continued for approximately 10 minutes, with remarks referencing Rosa Parks and demands that the victim move to the back of the bus.
• Fearing for her safety, the victim attempted to move to the front of the bus to get help from the driver.
• The suspect followed her and allegedly pulled her from the bus when the doors opened.
• In surveillance video, the victim can be heard telling the suspect “Don’t touch me, don’t touch me” as he attempted to pull her off the bus.
• Once outside, the suspect could be seen removing a small knife from his jacket pocket, then make numerous stabbing motions to the victim’s body, during which time she could be heard saying, “Now you’re going to stab me for nothing?”
• Though the thickness of her coat prevented serious injury, police observed tears in the coat consistent with a knife attack. Luckily, the victim was not physically injured.
• The suspect and another male fled the scene on foot.
• The suspect was later apprehended by police, found hiding under a vehicle.
• Surveillance footage from the bus corroborated the victim’s account and showed the suspect’s attack.
• Hernandez-Mayoral is facing charges of Assault in the Second Degree and Hate Crime Offense.

Hate Crime Stats

Below are stats for recent King County hate crime charges provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, based on the number of referrals from investigating agencies: