Man stabbed in the jaw in downtown Olympia Friday afternoon, police say

A 66-year-old man in a wheelchair was stabbed in the jaw Friday afternoon following an argument with another man who repeatedly tried to enter a downtown apartment building, according to Olympia police.

The apartment residents, some of whom were witnesses to the incident, believed the suspect did not live in the building, Lt. Paul Lower said Tuesday.

About 1:10 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 400 block of Capitol Way North. Once there, they learned that the 59-year-old suspect had allegedly demanded and repeatedly tried to enter the building, sometimes trying to follow other residents into it, Lower said.

A man in a wheelchair then came out of the building to talk to the suspect. That conversation turned into an argument, Lower said. The suspect finally pulled out a folding knife and stabbed the man in the jaw and fled from the scene, Lower said.

The victim was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia with a serious injury, although he is believed to be recovering now, Lower said.

Police followed a trail of blood which led them to a nearby public bathroom where they found the suspect cleaning his knife, Lower said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault, he said.

What court records show

The suspect made his preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Monday. The court found probable cause for the crime of first-degree assault and set bail at $300,000 as well as conditions for release.

The conditions: do not violate the law, do not leave the state, do not possess dangerous weapons/firearms and do not contact the victim. As of Tuesday, the suspect was still in the Thurston County Jail.

His arraignment is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM.