Witnesses intervened during the assault and helped authorities locate the woman prosecutors later charged with second-degree assault.
SEATTLE, Wash. — Hotel workers who saw an assault unfold on a downtown Seattle sidewalk intervened to separate two women, then helped authorities locate a suspect who prosecutors say had seriously injured a stranger during the confrontation.
The witness intervention has emerged as a key part of the Sept. 18 case involving Diana Gonzalez, 36, who suffered a serious forehead injury during an encounter near the Arctic Hotel. Prosecutors have charged 36-year-old Kamilia Chadli with second-degree assault. Police also investigated the incident as a possible hate crime after Gonzalez said her attacker used racist and homophobic language before the physical assault.
Chris Holt, a valet working at the hotel, told KOMO News that he saw the confrontation developing outside and noticed one woman acting aggressively toward the other. He said he called for help from other employees as the encounter escalated. Holt and another valet then moved to separate the women as they struggled on the sidewalk.
Authorities allege Chadli bit Gonzalez on the forehead during the confrontation, causing a wound about 1 inch in diameter. Police said Gonzalez suffered significant bleeding and permanent injury. The attack was reported at about 3:45 p.m. as Gonzalez was walking toward a nearby convenience store during her workday.
Police said the encounter began when Chadli allegedly threw a food wrapper at Gonzalez. After Gonzalez asked why she had done so, investigators say Chadli made a racist remark, used a homophobic slur and spat on Gonzalez. Prosecutors say the women did not know each other before the encounter.
After the women were separated, Chadli allegedly walked away from the area. A hotel worker followed her toward a bus stop near the King County Courthouse, where a King County marshal was alerted to the situation. That intervention helped authorities detain Chadli until Seattle police officers arrived, according to witness accounts and investigators.
Police said Gonzalez identified Chadli after the assault. Officers also documented blood at the scene and recovered tissue from a drainage grate nearby. Gonzalez was evaluated by Seattle Fire personnel and taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. Prosecutors have said she will be left with a permanent scar and requires reconstructive treatment.
Holt told KOMO News that violence of that nature was unusual in his experience working in the area. City data reviewed by the station showed the alleged attack was the first reported crime during 2026 in the immediate area it examined around the 700 block of Third Avenue and the intersections of Cherry and Columbia streets. The station reported three violent crimes there in 2025 and six in 2024.
Seattle police referred the case to county prosecutors for consideration of felony assault and a hate crime offense. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed a second-degree assault charge. Prosecutors have said a hate crime charge could be added later if the evidence meets the required legal standard. The allegations against Chadli have not been proven in court.
Chadli’s bail was set at $150,000. She is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, Sept. 28, on the felony assault charge. The case now moves into the court process as Gonzalez continues medical treatment for the injury.
Author note: Last updated September 26, 2026.