Seattle bartender speaks out after being slashed in face by customer

SEATTLE — A Chinatown-International District bartender was slashed in the face by a customer on Monday, after she turned him away for refusing to show proof of vaccination.

Witnesses said at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday, the bartender, Felicite Ogilvy, was attacked.

That assault happened at Joe’s Bar and Grill in the 500 block of King Street, where police said a man used a long stick with a sharpened piece of metal at the end to attack her.

Ogilvy told KIRO 7 that things started calmly but suddenly escalated. “It turned into aggressive, being aggressive really, really quickly.”

“As soon as I throw him out that’s when he decides to fling a stick at my face,” said Ogilvy.

The confrontation was caught on surveillance video.

Ogilvy needed 31 stitches to close the wound on her left cheek.

She said: “I really hope it just doesn’t happen to anyone else and I hope we can stop this situation so it doesn’t get worse. I hope don’t act the way this guy did. I would never wish that on somebody. Because if it wasn’t my check, it could’ve been my neck, it could’ve been my eye.”

On the day of the assault, customers tried to follow the attacker, but they believe he got away on light rail.

Officers searched the area for the man but could not find him.

Anyone who recognizes the attacker is asked to call Seattle police at 206-233-5000.

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