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A man accused of trying to push a stranger into the path of an oncoming train in Seattle is now facing an attempted murder charge and the moment was caught on video.
The incident unfolded at the busy Northgate light rail station, where a man was standing on the platform waiting for a northbound train when, investigators say, the suspect, Elisio Melendez, suddenly came up behind him and tried to shove him onto the tracks as the train approached.
Prosecutors say the attack appeared deliberate.
Surveillance video shows Melendez “carefully timed his assault,” waiting until the train entered the station before attempting to push the victim, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
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Surveillance video shows a suspect approaching a man from behind and attempting to shove him toward the tracks at Seattle’s Northgate light rail station. (King County Sheriff’s Office)
The victim managed to catch himself at the last second, avoiding what prosecutors described as a potentially deadly fall.
But the encounter didn’t end there.
Authorities say video shows the suspect trying to push the man a second time before running off.
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The suspect appears to make a second attempt to push the victim as a train pulls into the station, according to investigators. (King County Sheriff’s Office)
“This story ends with great work by our Sound Transit deputies who took a dangerous person off the streets,” the King County Sheriff’s Office said, calling images from the incident “quite chilling.”
Though the suspect initially ran off, investigators say a combination of surveillance video and “very good detective work” led them to Melendez at a nearby mental health community facility where he lived, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators went to a residence on March 24, where an employee identified Melendez and officers took him into custody, KING 5 reported. Clothing matching what the suspect was seen wearing during the incident was also recovered from his room, the outlet reported.
He was arrested and booked into the King County Correctional Facility, where records show he is being held on $750,000 bail on an attempted second-degree murder charge and is awaiting trial.
King County prosecutors told Fox News Digital the charge was formally filed March 26 and confirmed the case remains ongoing.
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Prosecutors say surveillance video shows the suspect “carefully timed” the moment as the train entered the station. (King County Sheriff’s Office)
A court-ordered competency evaluation is now underway and will determine whether Melendez is able to understand the charges and stand trial, prosecutors said. An arraignment will be scheduled once that process is complete.
The case also highlights a troubling history.
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The victim manages to catch himself near the edge of the platform, avoiding a potentially deadly fall. (King County Sheriff’s Office)
Prosecutors said Melendez was previously charged in a 2019 domestic violence assault case, but was ultimately found not competent to stand trial and not restorable after multiple court-ordered treatment periods — the maximum allowed under state law.
That case was dismissed in February 2021, and he was ordered into civil commitment at Western State Hospital under state supervision.
He remained there until January 2022, when state officials determined he had improved enough to be released to a less restrictive alternative.
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Prosecutors noted that once a defendant is found not competent and not restorable, there is no legal path to continue a criminal case.
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They also emphasized that a competency evaluation does not mean charges will be dropped, and cases can remain active for months while courts attempt to restore a defendant’s ability to stand trial.
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It’s still unclear what sparked the attack or whether the victim was specifically targeted, but investigators say the man was approached from behind, seemingly at random.
The case remains ongoing.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.