One man has been charged, and police say a second attacker remains unidentified.
SEATTLE, WA — Seattle police are searching for one of two men accused of attacking a 77-year-old man near Third Avenue and Pine Street on April 19, leaving him hospitalized with serious injuries after what investigators described as an unprovoked assault.
The case drew new attention after surveillance video from the city’s Real Time Crime Center showed the attack on a busy downtown sidewalk. One suspect, 29-year-old Ahmed Osman of Bellevue, has been charged with second-degree assault. Police said the other suspect, described as shorter and walking with a pronounced limp, remained at large as detectives continued to review video and seek information.
The assault happened shortly before 10 p.m. after the victim got off a bus and walked south on Third Avenue, police said. Surveillance video showed the victim moving along the sidewalk near Pine Street as two men approached him. Detective Eric Muñoz of the Seattle Police Department said there was little to no contact before the attack. “This was an unprovoked attack,” Muñoz said. “There was no lead-up to this. There was very minimal interaction.” Police said one man struck the victim in the face while the other pushed him from behind, knocking him to the pavement.
Investigators said the victim was left bleeding from a head injury and had a possible broken arm when officers arrived. Later charging details said he suffered a broken arm, a broken knee and a deep cut above his right eye that required stitches. He was treated at the scene by Seattle Fire Department crews and taken by paramedics to a hospital for further care. Police said the video showed one attacker continuing to punch the man after he fell. The footage also showed both men walking away while the victim remained on the ground. A witness called 911 about two minutes after the attack, according to police.
The attack happened at one of downtown Seattle’s busiest intersections, near transit stops, retail storefronts and late-night foot traffic. Police said a camera tied to the Real Time Crime Center captured the assault. The center monitors public areas that city officials have identified as crime hot spots, including parts of Third Avenue and Pine Street. A security guard told officers that one suspect was still nearby. Officers soon found Osman across the street near a McDonald’s and arrested him after police said he tried to move into a nearby doorway. Investigators said the second suspect walked away and had not been identified.
King County prosecutors charged Osman with second-degree assault after police completed their investigation and sent the case for review. Prosecutors said he had been released from jail two days after the attack while the investigation continued. They later asked that bail be set at $200,000. Osman’s arraignment is scheduled for May 13. Prosecutors also cited prior misdemeanor convictions and pending cases in court records. The charge is an allegation, and Osman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Police said the second suspect’s gait may help investigators identify him. Muñoz said officers had enough video to recognize the man if they saw him again. “This individual has a particular look, a particular gait,” Muñoz said. “If I were to see this individual, I would have probable cause to arrest him.” Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, called the attack disturbing because of the victim’s age and the lack of any known dispute before the assault. “It’s shocking to think that somebody can be this cruel to another person,” McNerthney said.
Police said detectives in the Homicide and Assault Unit remained assigned to the case. As of Tuesday, Osman faced a May 13 arraignment, and the second suspect had not been named or arrested.
Author note: Last updated May 5, 2026.