News

Man with pipe smashes several cars, business storefronts

SEATTLE — Monday mornings are always tough, but for Stephanie Hill, this one was a doozy. She works at the marketing and design firm The Filter on Fifth Avenue in the heart of downtown Seattle.

As she was about to go through the entry door, she snapped her head back in surprise. It had a large piece of wooden paneling in it to keep it from shattering and crumbling down onto

her or anyone else who entered. She quickly found out from co-workers that some random guy had smashed the door. What she didn't know before KIRO 7 caught up with her Tuesday evening: he also smashed

windows of nine cars, and went after a jewelery store down the street. And he did it in the middle of a busy Sunday evening, with people milling about.

One of those people had a smartphone and rolled on it. "Oh my gosh," Stephanie said, her eyes bugging out a bit. She was looking at the video KIRO 7 showed

her of cellphone video that captured the guy, swinging wildly with a 5-foot long red crowbar, and making contact with every car along Pike, heading west from Fifth.

Smash, a couple footsteps, smash again, repeat. "I'm just glad nobody was here," she said, pointing to her office.

The guy started his bizarre spree at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, so all the businesses along the street were closed. "This is kind of a one-man hooligan show," said Detective Jeff Kappel of Seattle Police of the video.

Kappel says the man also targeted the Ben Bridge Jeweler on Fourth Avenue, but their glass is so thick, the attack just set off an alarm. The alarm and pedestrians in the area alerted police.

Kappel says many witnesses stayed in the area long enough to see police make an arrest, and several people gave statements. Police also took the red crowbar.

No one was inside any of the cars attacked. No one was hurt.

As of Tuesday evening, the suspect, 44-year-old Michael A. Jackson, was in the King County Jail on charges of Malicious Mischief. Others may follow.