Seattle woman's forehead bitten off in random 'zombie' attack, suspect jailed
A homeless woman allegedly bit a chunk of flesh from a stranger's forehead in downtown Seattle, leaving the victim needing a skin graft. The suspect faces felony assault charges and is held on $150,000 bail.
Homeless suspect bites chunk from woman's forehead in downtown Seattle assault
A homeless woman allegedly tore a piece of flesh from a stranger's forehead in a random attack in downtown Seattle last week, NY Post Metro reports. The victim, Diana Gonzalez, 36, was walking to a 7-Eleven when the assault began — and she has since described the wound as looking "like a zombie bite, like in a movie."
The incident started after the suspect, identified as Kamilia Chadli, threw a food wrapper at Gonzalez. When Gonzalez confronted her, Chadli allegedly spat on her, used a homophobic slur, and called her "the inferior race." Chadli then allegedly knocked Gonzalez to the ground and bit into her forehead.
A nearby witness pulled the two women apart and pursued Chadli after she fled the scene. Seattle police apprehended her shortly after. She has been charged with felony second-degree assault and remains held in King County Jail on $150,000 bail. Her arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on September 28.
Prosecutors initially booked Chadli on suspicion of a hate crime before settling on the assault charge.
Gonzalez required hospitalization and underwent a skin graft to close the wound. Police said the injury is approximately one inch in diameter and will leave permanent scarring. Officers discovered a piece of flesh in a nearby drain grate, which they allege Chadli spat out after the bite.
Speaking to NBC 16 with a large white bandage on her forehead, Gonzalez described the moment she first saw her own injury.
"I was like 'Oh my god,' because it looks like a zombie bite, like in a movie that you would see," she said.
She said the attack unfolded without any prior contact between the two women.
"This was a totally random attack," Gonzalez told NBC 16. "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."
Gonzalez said she hopes Chadli receives a lengthy prison sentence and mental health treatment, regardless of whether the case proceeds to trial or ends in a plea deal.
"I'm just concerned that she would do it again because it was so random," she said.
The lasting disbelief over the nature of the attack remains with the victim.
"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."
Source: NY Post Metro