SEATTLE — A 21-year-old woman who was beaten in Seattle’s downtown bus tunnel in 2010 as two security guards watched is suing King County Metro, the Seattle Police Department and others.
The attack by several teens on then-15-year-old Aiesha Steward-Baker was caught on surveillance video, prompting a widespread outcry and changes in tunnel security.
The Seattle Times reported that Steward-Baker filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court this week against several entities, including the private security company. It alleges they failed to protect her because of her age and her African American race.
She says she sought help from Seattle police officers just before the attack because the group had threatened her in a nearby store, but the officers just told the other group to leave.
The sheriff’s office, which provides law-enforcement services for Metro, defended the security company after the attack, saying they were not supposed to intervene in dangerous situations. However, King County Executive Dow Constantine disagreed and directed Metro to hire another company to provide tunnel security.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.