REVEALED: Suspect in Seattle homeless encampment fatal stabbing is recently released repeat offender

The Seattle Police Department arrested Michael Sedejo on Thursday evening, after responding to calls of a stabbing at Courthouse Park, also known as City Hall Park. Upon arriving at the scene, Seattle police officers found Sedejo holding the knife that was allegedly used to stab the victim.

The park is the location of another tragedy earlier this month, where another homeless man allegedly assaulted a 67-year-old man and kicked his dog to death.

According to a statement released by Seattle Police Department, "Witnesses began calling 911 at 8 PM stating that a man had been stabbed in the 400 block of Jefferson Street. Officers arrived within two minutes and immediately arrested the suspect who was still holding the knife allegedly used to stab the victim. Police then quickly located the victim, a man in his 30's, and began CPR. Despite the officer’s efforts, Seattle medics arrived and declared the man dead at the scene."

This is not the 49-year-old suspect's first run-in with the law. In fact, Sedejo is a career criminal with an extensive list of violent crimes.

In April 2021, Sedejo was booked into King County Jail on pending robbery charges. Sedejo allegedly attacked a 65-year-old man who was formerly homeless and stole his camera while he taking pictures of the homeless camp. He then beat the victim a second time when he saw him several days later.

Prosecutors had asked King County District Court Judge Joe Campagnato to hold Sedejo on $50,000 bail "to protest the safety of the community," but the judge decided otherwise and set bail at only $20,000.

During the following arraignment, Campagna lowered Sedejo's bail to $5,000, even though prosecutors pleaded to keep him in jail over concerns for the safety of the community. The Northwest Community Bail Fund (NCBF), an activist nonprofit, paid to bail out Sedejo on May 6, according to court documents. The organization claims to pay bail for "marginalized people" who can't afford to do so themselves. They seek to abolish prisons and oppose bail of any kind.

Had he remained in jail, it is possible this tragedy could have been averted. Sedejo made his first court appearance on Saturday for the recent stabbing. Prosecutors reiterated to the judge that Sedejo was a "danger to the community" and his bail was set this time at $2 million.

The Post Millennial recently reported that the Seattle Police Department is now required to assist Seattle Fire with a "Rescue Task Force" when responding to life-threatening emergencies at the park due to extreme levels of danger.

The massive homeless encampment continues to grow next to the King County Courthouse. Superior Court Judge Jim Rogers told KOMO News, "In fact one of our court employees, happened on the body. Now the situation’s become more and more dangerous." Rogers added, "We get reports of assaults, 2 to 5 a week from our own employees, people being yelled at, people being hit."

"A lot of our female employees talk about feeling unsafe. I shouldn't be working on making sure nobody gets stabbed on the way to the King County courthouse. [T]hat should not be part of my job description," said Rogers.