Seattle woman was walking to a 7-Eleven near her workplace. Then a stranger allegedly bit a piece of her forehead off: ‘Inferior race’

Prosecutors in King County have charged a 36-year-old woman with second-degree assault after they said she bit a piece of skin from another woman’s forehead on a downtown Seattle sidewalk. The victim, Diana Gonzalez, said the attack happened while she was walking to a 7-Eleven near her workplace, according to KOMO News.

Gonzalez said the other woman first threw trash at her and spat on her. She said the woman also yelled racist remarks before the bite. Charging papers identify the defendant as Kamilia Chadli.

“This was a totally random attack,” Gonzalez said. “She started yelling racist things after throwing trash and spitting on me. Then she bit my face – she bit a piece of my face off.”

Charging papers describe a random sidewalk encounter downtown

The assault was reported about 3:45 p.m. on Sept. 18 near Third Avenue and Cherry Street, police said. Gonzalez said she had been walking along Third Avenue to buy a beverage when she passed Chadli. The two women did not know each other, prosecutors said.

Gonzalez said Chadli threw a food wrapper at her. After she asked why, Chadli allegedly yelled, “You’re the inferior race,” used a homophobic slur, and spat on her, according to the charging documents. “I don’t know this person,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve never seen them before in my life.”

Prosecutors alleged Chadli then pulled Gonzalez to the ground and bit off a circular piece of skin about 1 inch across from her forehead. A worker nearby said he saw the assault, pulled the women apart, and followed Chadli toward the King County Courthouse. A King County marshal detained her there, the documents stated.

Officers said they found blood on the sidewalk and a piece of flesh in a storm drain. Gonzalez later pointed Chadli out through the courthouse doors and told officers, “That’s her, 100%,” court documents stated.

“I can’t believe she bit a piece of my face off,” Gonzalez said. “That’s the main thing that is still shocking. I can’t believe it.”

Seattle Fire evaluated Gonzalez at the scene before she was taken to Harborview Medical Center, the charging documents said. She was scheduled for a skin graft on Sept. 22 to close the wound. Prosecutors said the attack will leave her with a permanent scar.

“I’m just concerned that she would do it again because it was so random,” Gonzalez said. “It didn’t make any sense.” Chadli was arrested on suspicion of a hate crime and booked into the King County Jail. Violent attacks on strangers have occurred elsewhere, as when a Florida woman allegedly set a stranger on fire at a gas station.

Prosecutors charged her only with second-degree assault, alleging she intentionally assaulted Gonzalez and recklessly caused substantial bodily harm. They said a hate-crime charge could be added later if the evidence supports it.

Prosecutors asked the court to keep bail at $150,000. They pointed to the injuries and said they were concerned Chadli could commit another violent offense if she were released. Violent incidents triggered by minor social interactions have occurred elsewhere, as when a Texas woman allegedly began chasing another at a Dallas Goodwill after making eye contact.