A midafternoon trip to the restroom at a University Place Safeway ended with one employee in handcuffs and another headed to the hospital, according to police.
Investigators say a 31-year-old Safeway worker stabbed a man in a restroom at the store Wednesday, leaving the victim with a stab wound to the lower side of his back and cuts near his neck. A coworker helped the injured man before he called 911. The employee is now booked into Pierce County Jail on a first-degree assault charge.
What police say happened
Officers were dispatched around 1:33 p.m. after the store manager reported that an employee had been attacked. Police reviewed store surveillance that reportedly captured much of the encounter.
According to video described in court documents, the man identified as the victim can be seen pacing outside the bathroom door before going in. Both men later emerge and the confrontation spills out into the store aisles. As reported by The News Tribune, the victim eventually runs from the store, with the suspect allegedly chasing him. Officers later found the victim outside, suffering from heavy bleeding.
Jail booking and court records
Pierce County maintains public court calendars and an online jail roster listing in-custody defendants and their upcoming hearings. In-custody felony arraignments are typically scheduled for either 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., and members of the public can search dockets and bookings through the county’s LINX portal.
According to Pierce County, the LINX site provides access to court calendars and the current jail roster.
Where it happened
The incident occurred inside the Safeway located at 3842 Bridgeport Way W in University Place. That address and the store’s contact details appear on its public listing, which also includes the Bridgeport Way location’s hours and available services. See Safeway for the full listing.
What the charge means
Prosecutors have accused the worker of assault in the first degree. Under Washington law, that charge covers assaults carried out with a deadly weapon or attacks that cause great bodily harm. The offense is classified as a class A felony. The statutory definition is laid out in RCW 9A.36.011.
What the documents say and what’s next
Court documents cited by The News Tribune quote Officer Jan Salman, who wrote that the victim’s injuries, the surveillance footage and inconsistent statements gave probable cause to believe the Safeway employee intentionally assaulted the man with a deadly weapon.
The paperwork notes that the worker was booked into Pierce County Jail on Wednesday afternoon and has an arraignment set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Pierce County Superior Court. Those proceedings are listed on the county’s LINX calendar, which is updated as new court dates are set.
