Capitol Hill sees spike in malicious harassment attacks

"Humiliating." "Embarrassing." "Terrifying."

That's how a transgender woman described being accosted by a man who she says called her names and threatened her as she walked down a Capitol Hill street in the middle of the day.

The Oct. 20 incident, which resulted in the arrest of a man, is one of several similar incidents on Capitol Hill since June. King County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mike Hogan says it's part of a spike in malicious-harassment incidents targeting gays and transgender people on Capitol Hill.

Hogan said the incidents appear to be random and not part of any organized effort.

Seattle police also are looking at an incident early on Feb. 3 on Capitol Hill when two gay men were assaulted by the occupants of a fast-moving car after the victims motioned for the driver to slow down.

Police say they have not determined whether that case meets the legal definition of malicious harassment, this state's version of a hate crime. In such crimes, the victims are targeted specifically because of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

Witnesses to that attack say the assailants shouted anti-gay slurs at the men.

The other incidents on Capitol Hill include a June incident at a Broadway service station in which a man was arrested and charged with malicious harassment for making anti-gay remarks. He pleaded guilty as charged.

In July, a gay man was assaulted and his tooth knocked out. His attacker was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

In June, two men harassed two gay men who were driving through the drive-up window of a fast-food franchise on Capitol Hill. The case is still pending.

In October, a man pleaded guilty to making threats to a gay individual.

Also in October, a man walking home from a job at a nearby hospital was accosted by men who made anti-gay slurs.

In the alleged October incident involving the transgender woman, the victim told police she was walking at 115 Broadway Ave. E. when she was approached by a man who demanded to know if she was "a man." He then called her names and made gestures as if he was going to strike her, said the woman, who asked that she not be identified by name.

She said she was going to call police and just then two Seattle officers appeared nearby and she ran toward them.

The man, identified as Charles Schewe, was arrested and then allegedly used a slur against an African-American officer, court documents allege. He is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of malicious harassment.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com