02/25/2021

679 S King St
Seattle, Washington 98104
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Incident

SEATTLE — A high school teacher who is still recovering after she was randomly attacked last month in the Chinatown-International District said Tuesday that she believes she was targeted because of her nationality at a time when several U.S. cities have reported an increase in assaults against Asian Americans.

Noriko Nasu, a Japanese language teacher, said she believes she was targeted when she and Michael Poffenbarger, her boyfriend, were physically assaulted while walking near 7th and King streets around 9 p.m. on Feb. 25.

According to police records, a stranger attacked a young Asian American woman—striking her in the face with what appeared to be a rock in a sock. She was knocked unconscious and ended up suffering a fractured nose and several chipped teeth.