Officials open investigation into racial attack against Seattle-area deejay

Law enforcement officials are seeking charges against eight white supremacists who attacked a Black deejay at a bar

Dec 11, 2018

The FBI is investigating an attack by eight white supremacists on a Black deejay at a tavern in suburban Seattle over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

According to the Seattle Times, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI have opened a joint hate-crimes investigation into the arrests of the eight self-professed neo-Nazi skinheads accused of assaulting the unnamed man who was spinning records on early Saturday morning. The group, which consisted of seven men and one woman were arrested for investigation of assault, hate crimes and other charges.

Investigators said the group entered the Rec Room Bar and Grill, tried to take over the deejay’s booth, then beat and stomped him while shouting racial slurs. They also injured an Asian man who attempted to intervene.

The unnamed man was treated at a hospital for a swollen eye and other non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities responded to a 911 call and said they saw several people trying to flee in a white pickup. They later pulled over the vehicle and arrested the six people inside. Two other suspects were arrested after being found in another car that had left the bar, authorities said.

“The violent behavior directed at members of our community over the weekend simply because of their race is disgusting,” Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary said in a news release. “The Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the FBI in hopes of getting the strongest sentencing possible for these hate crimes.”

Court papers identified the suspects as being affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood. Authorities say they believe the group, which included people from Washington, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois and Oregon.

The documents identified the suspects as Randy A. Smith, 38; Cory T. Colwell, 34; Nathaniel L. Woodell, 32; Daniel D. Dorson, 23; Travis Condor, 34; Vincent B. Nutter, 28; Guy A. Miller, 37; and Leah N. Northcraft, 25.

The suspects were being held on $15,000 bail, except for Colwell who was released on his own recognizance, according to the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office.