Woman suffers life-threatening wounds in stabbing at Tacoma light-rail stop
A stabbing at a light-rail station in Tacoma might have stemmed from a dispute over stolen items.
Prosecutors charged a woman with first-degree assault in the Tuesday incident.
Officers learned from the victim’s primary physician her injuries were life-threatening because one of her lungs suffered a laceration, and it was leaking air. She was also bleeding in the chest/lung area, according to prosecutors.
The alleged stabber’s arraignment was scheduled Thursday afternoon at the Pierce County Superior Court. Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille ordered the woman to undergo a competency evaluation while in custody at the Pierce County Jail, court documents show.
The competency hearing is tentatively scheduled for April 9.
Details of the incident through charging documents
Officers were dispatched at about 8:53 p.m. for a possible stabbing at a light-rail stop on East 25th Street. The victim was hunched over and holding her abdomen while crying out from the pain, according to the probable-cause affidavit.
The victim told police she was stabbed multiple times. She showed officers a 5-inch stab wound on her abdomen, documents show. An officer later noted seeing at least two stab wounds on her body.
The defendant was seated nearby on a bench with a red blanket. She was taken into custody and allegedly admitted to officers that she stabbed the victim. She also alleged it was self-defense and that she had sustained a scratch on her lip.
Documents show the victim told police she saw the woman stealing her binoculars and phone. She tried to get her items back, but the woman allegedly pulled out a multi-tool and stabbed her three to four times.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for her injuries.
Documents show the victim’s friend witnessed the stabbing. The friend told police he and the victim were coming from the Tacoma Rescue Mission area. It appeared the victim knew the woman, but he did not know her, documents show.
He said he was nearby and saw the victim confront the woman over stealing her items earlier. He said the woman attacked the victim with a multi-tool knife after the victim tried to take the items back.
Video showed the victim standing over the woman while she was seated, according to court documents. They were having an argument before the victim struck the woman multiple time in the head. The victim backed away, and the woman stood up before striking the victim’s torso four times with her right hand.
Interview with the woman
The defendant told police a man tried to take the binoculars from her, and she got into an argument with him. She alleged the man spoke to the victim, whom he told to beat up the defendant.
The woman claimed the victim tried to take the binoculars and then punched her in the face. She warned the victim to get away from her, and, when she refused, the woman allegedly stabbed her, documents show.
Court documents show a multi-tool kit was found in the woman’s bad with a red smudge on it, which police believed was blood.
The defendant does not have previous criminal convictions, according to court records.
This story was originally published March 27, 2026 at 5:15 AM.
