Sharpened spikes at Green Lake

The discovery of more than three dozen machine-sharpened spikes at the Green Lake Park boating center has prompted the city of Seattle to post warnings to would-be swimmers.

A handful of spikes — metal rods roughly 2 or 3 feet long — were found Sunday night by a man wading near the boating center at the south end of the lake. After he alerted city parks staff, Seattle police divers on Monday found 39 spikes buried in the lake bottom, with sharp points sticking up.

"We're horrified," said city parks spokeswoman Dewey Potter. "There can't be any other explanation than malice that we can think of."

The spikes were buried near the center and southern docks of the boating center, where row boats and canoes can be rented. Parks officials believe the spikes may have been there as long as two months because some of the rods were corroded.

Swimming at the boating center is prohibited, but parks staff posted warnings to stay out of the water nonetheless. As a precaution, warnings also were posted at the city's other boating center, at Mount Baker Park on Lake Washington.

No other spikes have been found by city staff members, and the only injury reported was by Pat Boltz. The Seattle resident felt a sharp jab in his foot Sunday as he was wading with his family.

"I reached down and pulled it out and it was a piece of metal," Boltz told KING-TV.

He said he found about 10 more within a minute or so. "It takes a pretty sick individual to put that kind of time and effort into something like this," Boltz said.

Potter agreed. "It's so bizarre. We can't imagine who did it or why," she said. "In 15 years working for the parks department, I've never heard of anything so intentional and malicious."

She encouraged anyone with information about the spikes to call Seattle police.

Jonathan Martin: 206-464-2605 or jmartin@seattletimes.com