A homeless man in Seattle was captured on surveillance camera causing a disturbance in a local ice cream and coffee shop, leading the owner to express frustration over the absence of police response when employees dialed 911.
A Seattle business owner is livid — and concerned — after he says this deranged man threatened his employees before destroying his countertop display. pic.twitter.com/1okAyVfRNn
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) April 30, 2024
The incident unfolded on April 24 around 7 p.m. near Seattle’s iconic Gum Wall in the Pike Place Market area, recounted Baxter & Frost owner Ian Halcott. Security footage reveals a man, clad in a beanie and hoodie, engaging with an employee before recklessly knocking items off a counter display, creating chaos inside the establishment.
Another clip captures the man pushing a movable display case toward two workers, prompting one to arm himself with a knife for protection while the other grabbed a spatula and baking tray. Despite the tense confrontation, the man eventually departed, with a Pike Place Market security guard arriving later.
“This video includes an assault on one of my employees as well as the destruction of my service counter by a deranged criminal,” Halcott lamented in an email to radio host Jason Rantz.
Seattle is thriving. pic.twitter.com/a5wO6j4lqr
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) April 26, 2024
Although the encounter was not audio-recorded, Halcott asserted that the man issued threats of violence against his employees, reflecting on the challenges faced in managing interactions with individuals who are not customers but still demand respect.
Following the altercation, Halcott’s staff dialed 911, yet officers were not dispatched due to staffing issues, leaving the employees feeling unsafe. Despite attempts to contact the police afterward, including through the non-emergency number, Halcott struggled to get a response until he spoke with Rantz.
“Pike Place Market, this was always the protected area,” he said. “This is the heart of the tourist industry here in Seattle. And it’s frustrating to see the lack of enforcement here. Because for about 20 years, pre-COVID, I almost never had a problem at this scale.”
Concerns over safety have left Halcott’s employees apprehensive, leading to reduced working hours, exacerbating staffing challenges amid the ongoing struggle to ensure business continuity. Halcott, a longtime small business owner in Seattle, expressed frustration over the lack of enforcement, particularly in an area historically regarded as a protected tourist hub.
