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Murder charges re-filed in stabbing death of Shoreline college teacher

When Donnell D. Jackson was charged with murdering Troy Wolff and trying to murder Wolff’s girlfriend Kristin Ito, prosecutors called Jackson "an extreme danger to the community."

Despite that danger, the now 49-year-old Jackson was about to be discharged from Western State Hospital.

Jackson allegedly stabbed Wolff and Ito as the couple left a Sounders game the night of Sept. 13, 2013.

According to documents filed in King County Superior Court shortly after the attack, Seattle Police officers “arrived quickly and found Jackson still standing over the now-down Wolff.”

Ito survived two stab wounds to the chest, but Wolff – a 46-year old instructor at Shoreline College -- died.

Wolff had been stabbed "repeatedly in the chest, neck and abdomen," according to documents.
Jackson was arrested .

KIRO 7 filed a Public Disclosure Request and obtained Seattle Police Department video that shows Jackson’s interview with homicide detectives the night of his arrest, during which Jackson admitted he was mentally ill and suffered from schizophrenia.

Jackson also admitted he hadn't been taking his medication for months before he described stabbing both Wolff and Ito.

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In the video, then-detective Cloyd Steiger asks “where on his body were you stabbing him?”  Jackson can be seen pointing to his own stomach in response.

After criminal charges were initially filed against Jackson in 2013, "charges were dismissed with prejudice" in June of 2015 "following 360 days of attempted competency restoration" at Western State Hospital, where Jackson remained.

Late last month, hospital staff sent a letter to the King County Prosecutor's Office "indicating their intent to discharge" Jackson "to a less-restrictive setting in the near future"
and reported Jackson's "mental condition has stabilized significantly."

King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg told KIRO 7, Jackson would have eventually been discharged from Western State -- so charges of murder and attempted murder were re-filed against Jackson.

“It’s time for him to be held responsible in a court of law,” Satterberg said during an interview in his office Tuesday afternoon.

He called the random stabbings “everybody’s nightmare.”

“Fortunately, it’s a very rare thing.  But when it does happen, we have to respond.   And for public safety reasons, we can’t just allow this to be a mental health case,” the Prosecutor said.  “It has to be a criminal justice case.”

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