A white supremacist allegedly stabbed an interracial couple after seeing them kissing, then rambled incoherently about Donald Trump and Black Lives Matter after being arrested, the Washington Post is reporting .
The couple, identified only as a 47-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, were enjoying a night out Tuesday in downtown Olympia, Washington’s popular bar and restaurant district . According to the Olympian , the two would have a drink at their favorite bar, go outside to smoke and make out, go back in and have another drink, and so on.
At about 8:30 p.m., the couple were out kissing when the male victim says he heard his companion scream out in pain. He then turned around and saw Daniel Rowe, 32, standing next to him.
Daniel B. Rowe, 32-Year-Old Skinhead, Arrested For Stabbing Interracial Couple In Olympia https://t.co/RKBbUITvP2 pic.twitter.com/XiudtFZqaM
— UJReview (@UJReview) August 19, 2016
The male victim said he then felt Rowe punch him. Rowe began running, and the male chased him and was able to trip him. Rowe fell head-first into a car and was knocked unconscious. It was then that the male victim realized he hadn’t been punched — he’d been stabbed. The knife sunk into the man’s hip, but only grazed the female; she was not injured. The male victim was treated for minor injuries. Rowe, too, was taken to an area hospital for treatment of his head injuries.
As of this writing, there are conflicting reports about whether or not Rowe said anything during the alleged attack. The Olympian reports that Rowe didn’t say anything during the assault, while the Washington Post claims that Rowe yelled a racial slur before stabbing the couple.
When police showed up, Rowe allegedly made no apologies for the apparently unprovoked attack, according to police department spokesman Lt. Paul Lower.
“He tells them, ‘Yeah, I stabbed them. I’m a white supremacist.’”
Rowe is also covered in tattoos, including ones that say “Skinhead,” “White Power,” and “Hooligan.” One tattoo shows the confederate flag.
During his interview with police, Rowe said that he came to Olympia because he had heard of anti-police graffiti being sprayed around the city and told police he had taken a “blood oath to fight on the streets.”
Olympia stabbing suspect: I was responding to anti-police graffiti: https://t.co/Et0LSLQV6t pic.twitter.com/IFMftZPNcU
— The Olympian (@theolympian) August 18, 2016
He also promised police that if they let him go, he would go to a Donald Trump rally and “stomp out” members of the Black Lives Matter movement. Neither Donald Trump nor Black Lives Matter have any events planned for Washington state anytime soon.
Judge on unprovoked attack in #Olympia : “Those allegations are extremely serious” #komonews pic.twitter.com/LbxRhWtiPm
— Kristen Drew (@KDrewKOMO) August 17, 2016
Rowe had been convicted of second-degree robbery in 2008 and had been imprisoned at the Washington State Correctional Facility in Walla Walla, about 300 miles away, and had been just recently released. The Times notes that the city of Olympia, with a population of about 46,000 people, serves as a makeshift stop-off point for prisoners released from Walla Walla, who live in homeless shelters and seek help as they make their way to Seattle, about 50 miles away. Authorities suspect Rowe may have been among those homeless ex-cons.
Authorities are trying to determine whether or not Rowe may have committed a hate crime. But to Deputy Prosecutor Joseph Wheeler, Rowe’s motivations are obvious.
“This has all the hallmarks of a hate crime. This black-and-white couple was simply expressing their love for one another.”
As of this writing, Rowe remains incarcerated at the Thurston County Jail on $500,000 bond. He is charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and one count of malicious harassment.
[Image via Olympia Police Department]
