Arrest Made In Mardi Gras Murder

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By By KOMO Staff & News Services

Summary

17-year-old in custody.

Story Published: Mar 20, 2001 at 5:56 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 12:28 AM PDT

Arrest Made In Mardi Gras Murder
SEATTLE - Seattle police have made an arrest in the death of Kristopher Kime, the 20-year-old man beaten to death during Mardi Gras violence in Seattle's Pioneer Square area.

A 17-year-old boy identified through television and private video of the riot was arrested Monday night at a home in the city's Beacon Hill neighborhood, police spokesman Sean O'Donnell said. Officers found him when they responded to a report of a woman screaming in the back yard.

He was arrested for investigation of being a runaway and rioting and was later booked for investigation of homicide, police said. They believe he is the only suspect responsible for Kime's death.

The suspect is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

Kime was hit on the back of the head, then stomped to death as he went to the aid of a woman knocked down in the crowd.

'My Heart Broke'

Police notified Kristopher Kime's family of the arrest at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. Kristopher's mother, Kimberly Kime-Parks, says she felt like screaming but that she's very relieved.

"I don't want to say I'm overjoyed, but I'm happy and relieved that they found who did this to my son," she told KOMO 4 News. "My heart broke when I found out it was a 17-year-old, but it's important regardless of his age that the person who did this to my son be punished."

Kime-Parks feels strongly that the suspect should be tried as an adult and she's glad that police may be able to connect other assaults to the suspect.

70 Others Injured

About 70 other people were injured during the riot. Some of the violence has been blamed on roving groups of thugs who attacked people randomly as police stood by, afraid they would only cause further crowd violence if they tried to make arrests.

The violence came as an estimated 4,000 people jammed the streets of the city's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood for Fat Tuesday celebrations. By early Wednesday, the crowd had dwindled, the violence had escalated and police moved in with tear gas to clear the area.

Police arrested about 20 people during the riot and have arrested 17 more since. They identified 103 suspects from videotape of the riots.

Mayor Paul Schell said Tuesday that what happened last month made him sick. He said he would appoint a task force to look at the causes of the turmoil.

"I thinks it's also important as a city, as a community, that we all take some responsibility for our children," he said.

Related alcohol-fueled celebrations also resulted in property damage and assaults on the Friday and Saturday nights before the Fat Tuesday riot.