Inset: Kamilia Chadli in court (KCPQ/YouTube). Background: Diana Gonzalez speaking about the alleged biting attack in Seattle (KIRO/YouTube).
A Washington state woman was allegedly attacked by a stranger who sank her teeth into her forehead and ripped away a chunk of flesh.
“I knew she was biting me,” said Diana Gonzalez in an interview with local ABC affiliate KOMO. “I didn”t know she was biting through the skin.”
On Sept. 18, Gonzalez was walking in downtown Seattle on her work break toward a 7-Eleven on Third Avenue when Kamilia Chadli, 36, allegedly began throwing trash at her, screaming racial slurs and spitting on her.
“Whatever state of mind she was in, she just kept telling me I was an inferior race,” Gonzalez told KOMO.
The random confrontation turned into a violent struggle on the steps of the Arctic Club Hotel, according to Gonzalez. Police say Chadli grabbed Gonzalez and bit down on her forehead.
“I was assaulted in downtown Seattle in a hate crime while walking to a convenience store near my work,” Gonzalez says in a GoFundMe description. “A stranger targeted me with racist and homophobic slurs, pulled me to the ground, and bit a piece of my face off. I was taken to the hospital, and I am now living with permanent injuries that require surgery.”
As of Tuesday, Chadli has been charged with second-degree assault. Gonzalez told KOMO she believes Chadli should be charged with a hate crime.
“Racially motivated violence can happen to anyone,” Gonzalez said.
Chadli was arrested while trying to board a bus. She is being held on $150,000 bail.
Court documents viewed by KOMO show that Chadli has a “lengthy history of police reports and interactions with Seattle Police” and has been “emergently detained for mental health evaluation” in the past, according to the outlet.
A judge ordered Chadli to undergo a mental health evaluation.
“She knew enough to flee the scene,” Gonzalez said. “She knew enough to go to the bus stop to try to get on the bus. She knew enough to lie, and I’m pretty sure she knows enough not to be in jail speaking that way.”
Chadli is due back in court on Oct. 13.
