Seattle Woman Recounts Having Part of Face Bitten Off by Suspect in Downtown

A 36-year-old woman has been charged with second-degree assault after prosecutors say she used racist and homophobic language before biting a chunk of flesh from another woman’s forehead in downtown Seattle.

Charging documents filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office identify the defendant as Kamilia Chadli. Police said the victim, Diana Gonzalez, was left with permanent injuries and required a skin graft to close the wound.

Diana Gonzalez

The attack was reported about 3:45 p.m. Sept. 18 near Third Avenue and Cherry Street. {snip}

“This was a totally random attack,” said Gonzalez. “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 told officers she was walking past a woman, later identified as Chadli, when Chadli threw a food wrapper at her. When Gonzalez asked why, Chadli allegedly yelled, “You’re the inferior race,” used a homophobic slur, and spit on the victim, according to charging documents.

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Prosecutors allege Chadli then pulled the victim to the ground and bit off a circular piece of skin about 1 inch in diameter from her forehead.

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Though Chadli was arrested on suspicion of a hate crime offense and booked into the King County Jail, prosecutors charged her with second-degree assault, alleging she intentionally assaulted the victim and recklessly inflicted substantial bodily harm.

Chadli is currently not charged with a hate crime, but that charge could later be added to the case if the evidence can support it.

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[Editor’s Note: A photo of the suspect is available here.]