Police say a bystander’s 911 call around 10:45 a.m. helped launch a fast search near Bear Creek Trail.
REDMOND, WA — A 50-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times late Saturday morning on the Bear Creek Trail near Redmond Town Center, and police are searching for a suspect described as a slim man about 5 feet 9 inches tall who ran from the scene.
Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said officers arrived within two minutes of the 10:45 a.m. 911 call and found the woman on the trail with several stab wounds. Medics took her to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in critical condition. The chief said the victim, who drifted in and out of consciousness, told officers she did not know the attacker, a detail that led investigators to treat the assault as a random attack. The incident drew additional help from neighboring agencies as an afternoon search unfolded through the downtown trail corridor.
Detectives believe the assault happened moments before the emergency call, in the segment of the Bear Creek Trail that parallels the shopping and transit hub by Redmond Town Center. Lowe said the bystander who dialed 911 stayed on scene, gave a statement and provided a description of the fleeing man. Police broadcast that description as possibly white or Asian, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, slim build, wearing a green hoodie or jacket, blue jeans and a black beanie or hat. “This is very abnormal for Redmond and for the Eastside,” Lowe said, adding that patrol officers moved quickly to secure the path and check nearby cut-throughs and parking lots.
Redmond officers, joined by partners from the King County Sheriff’s Office and nearby departments, combed trailheads and access points through early evening. Investigators canvassed for witnesses who were running, walking dogs or cycling when the attack occurred, and they took statements from people who saw someone running away immediately afterward. Police said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. As of Saturday night, the woman’s name had not been released. Officials did not immediately share the precise number of wounds or the type of knife used. Detectives said it was too early to say whether the attacker targeted the area or simply used the trail to escape.
Saturday’s stabbing rattled a popular pedestrian route that connects neighborhoods, parks and shopping areas in central Redmond. The Bear Creek segment is part of a busy corridor that threads past apartments, offices and the mall, and it often sees steady weekend traffic. Violent crime on the Eastside’s paved trail network is uncommon compared with the larger metro area, a point the chief emphasized while acknowledging residents’ fears. People who encountered an expanded police presence said they cut short errands or detoured around taped-off sections as officers documented the scene and photographed evidence markers along the path and grass.
Police said the investigation remains in its early phase. Detectives planned to review officers’ body-camera footage, check for private security video from businesses and residential buildings along the corridor and compare any knife-related cases reported in the region this month. No arrest had been announced by late Saturday. The department said additional uniformed patrols would continue near the trail while detectives follow leads. Officials said they would provide updates on the victim’s condition and the suspect search when new information is confirmed by investigators.
By nightfall, the trail segment near Redmond Town Center had partially reopened, with officers still posted at key crossings and parking entrances. The woman remained in critical condition at Harborview, according to police. The next public update is expected after investigators complete overnight follow-up and compile any surveillance clips gathered from nearby properties on Sunday.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.