SEATTLE — Kamilia Chadli faces second-degree assault charges and is the subject of a hate crime investigation after allegedly biting a chunk of flesh from Diana Gonzalez's forehead in Seattle. A King County Superior Court charging document lists the charge as a felony, while prosecutors continue to evaluate evidence for potential bias-motivated enhancements.

Chadli bit a 1-inch-diameter chunk of flesh from Gonzalez’s forehead during the altercation. Officers later found a piece of the victim’s flesh in a nearby grate that Chadli had spat out.

Gonzalez requires surgery, including a skin graft, for the wound sustained in the attack. "It looks like a zombie bite in a movie that you would see – like it’s a full circle," Gonzalez said. "This is my face. I’m going to have a scar permanently."

Chadli fled the scene but was chased by a witness who flagged down a marshal at a nearby courthouse. Police reports describe Chadli as having a history of mental health and substance abuse issues, and court documents indicate she was living in a shelter across the street from the crime scene.

A hate crime investigation is underway, though no hate crime charge has currently been filed. The King County Prosecutor's Office stated that the decision rests on whether the evidence meets the specific legal standards required for such a charge.

"Though a hate crime is not charged now, that charge may still be added later in the case if the evidence can meet the burden required by state law – which is often higher than what people understandably think the proof burden is," the King County Prosecutor's Office said. Chadli is detained with bail set at $150,000.

Why It Matters

The case involves a violent physical assault that resulted in injury requiring surgical intervention, including a skin graft for the victim. The ongoing investigation into whether the attack was motivated by bias shows the procedural distinctions between standard assault charges and hate crime prosecutions, which carry different evidentiary burdens under state law.

Prosecutors have indicated that the addition of a hate crime charge depends on meeting a higher proof burden than what is typically required for the underlying assault. This legal threshold means that while the alleged use of slurs and derogatory language is part of the incident record, the formal charging decision requires evidence that satisfies specific statutory criteria.

Timeline

On 18 September, Diana Gonzalez, 36, was walking to a local convenience store when Kamilia Chadli threw a food wrapper at her. After Gonzalez asked Chadli why she threw the wrapper, Chadli allegedly yelled, "You’re the inferior race," used a homophobic slur, spat on Gonzalez, and dragged her to the ground. Chadli then bit a 1-inch-diameter chunk of flesh from Gonzalez’s forehead.

Officers found a piece of the victim’s flesh in a nearby grate that Chadli had spat out. Chadli fled the scene but was chased by a witness who flagged down a marshal at a nearby courthouse.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that Chadli’s arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on 28 September.