Tacoma man tried to impale panhandler with 6-inch tool, prosecutors say

A Tacoma man chased a panhandler around the Tideflats with a 6-inch-long tool Thursday and tried to stab him with it, Pierce County prosecutors say.

The 57-year-old was arraigned Friday afternoon in Pierce County Superior Court on one count of attempted second-degree assault and was released on his own recognizance.

According to charging documents:

Tacoma police were dispatched Thursday evening to the 2600 block of Portland Avenue East for reports of a man chasing another man while armed with a knife.

One officer arrived to see the 57-year-old, who matched the description of the would-be attacker, stumbling around before throwing a shiny object over a fence. The officer approached the man, who swore at him but followed his instructions.

The officer then found a 6-inch-long metal tool with a sharp edge on the sidewalk near the man. The officer noted the tool could easily be used as a weapon.

The man was arrested, which prompted him to start screaming, and he kicked at the window of a patrol vehicle once placed inside.

Another officer interviewed the victim, who said he was panhandling when the man approached him and berated him for not paying taxes. The victim was vexed.

The man then pulled the object out of his bag and yelled something to the effect of, “I’ve got something for you” while walking toward the victim. The victim described the tool as long and skinny and noted that the man was carrying it like a weapon.

The victim ran off and the man chased after him, hurling threats but unable to keep up.

Another person told officers he was threatened by the man, but he said he did not want to be listed as the victim of a crime.