Woman's Forehead Bitten Off in Apparent Hate Crime in Seattle
An unprovoked assault left a Seattle woman with a severe facial injury and lasting trauma after an attacker allegedly hurled racial slurs before biting off a piece of her forehead.
A woman was the victim of a brutal, unprovoked assault in downtown Seattle on September 18, when a stranger allegedly bit off a portion of her forehead after spewing racist and homophobic insults.
Diana Gonzalez told KOMO News that she was walking to a 7-Eleven during a break from work when the attacker, identified as 36-year-old Kamilia Chadli, began throwing trash and verbally abusing her. When Gonzalez inquired why she was being targeted, Chadli allegedly responded with "You're the inferior race," accompanied by homophobic slurs and spitting.
The attack escalated when Chadli allegedly grabbed Gonzalez and pulled her to the ground. It was then that Chadli bit a circular piece of skin, approximately one inch in diameter, from Gonzalez's forehead. "It looks like a zombie bite like in a movie that you would see," Gonzalez recounted.
A witness intervened, separating the women and allowing Chadli to flee the scene. She was apprehended by authorities shortly thereafter. The retrieved piece of Gonzalez's forehead was found in a storm drain, and blood was visible on the sidewalk.
Gonzalez received initial medical attention from Seattle Fire before being transported to Harborview Medical Center. She was scheduled for a skin graft surgery, but prosecutors confirmed she will be left with a permanent scar. Gonzalez has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses and lost wages due to her inability to work following the assault.
"Since this happened, my day-to-day life has completely changed," Gonzalez stated. "I can't work right now, and I am dealing with anxiety on top of the physical trauma. I also need therapy as I try to recover from what happened to me."
Chadli was initially arrested on suspicion of a hate crime and is now facing charges of second-degree assault. Prosecutors allege that Chadli intentionally assaulted Gonzalez and recklessly inflicted substantial bodily harm. While not currently charged with a hate crime, authorities indicated that such charges could be added if evidence supports it. Gonzalez has expressed her desire for her alleged attacker to face a significant sentence, even if a plea deal is reached.
"I would like for the charge not to be lessened," Gonzalez said. "I would like that if she did take a plea, she would still have to serve a lengthy sentence and get additional therapy or help in jail or prison, just so she wouldn't reoffend."
Seattle has seen an increase in crime statistics, with Neighborhood Scout reporting a one in 129 chance of residents becoming victims of violent crime. The city's robbery rate is noted as being more than triple the national average, and the area experiences a high volume of crimes per square mile. Seattle is also recognized as a significant hub for homelessness, with its unhoused population having increased substantially over the past decade.