A Washington man suspected of killing the mother of his son, by repeatedly stabbing her at a food court located in the Seattle Center Armory on Friday afternoon, was reportedly kept at bay by an armed witness until authorities arrived.
David Lee Morris, 29, is suspected of killing his 28-year-old ex-lover, Gabrielle Garcia, who The Seattle Times reports had obtained a court order of protection against him in October, citing court documents.
Morris is the sole suspect in the murder of the estranged mother to his 4-year-old autistic son, according to police. Authorities said he murdered Garcia in cold blood as witnesses, including the young boy, watched in horror.
A bystander armed with a gun and a license to carry, Scott Brown, was reportedly able to run after the suspect, while another witness apparently pepper-sprayed him. Officials arrived and subsequently apprehended the man using a taser before taking him into custody.
Man charged with murder in stabbing death of son’s mother at Seattle Center https://t.co/DjvzuyZDek pic.twitter.com/BeZa19KWgL
— #Q13FOX (@Q13FOX) November 8, 2018
Brown, who works in the area where the atrocity took place, said he happened to be at the scene “on his day off to meet a friend,” Q13 News reported.
“I saw a girl on the ground laying on someone’s lap, people rushing over,” Brown told the news outlet. “My focus was going outside.”
Morris allegedly carried a bloodied knife after committing the crime, as reportedly seen in disturbing video from the scene, prompting Brown to take action.
“I saw the knife in his right hand, so I ran after him. I kept getting him to try and put down the knife,” Brown said. “We kept walking backwards and backwards and backwards.”
He described the suspect as pleading for his life to be taken.
“Once he saw that I had a gun, he kept trying to convince me to shoot him,” Brown stated. “(Morris said) make sure I don’t miss. Make the shot count. He killed the only person he ever loved.”
“To make my son’s life better.” That’s the reason David Lee Morris gave to detectives on why he killed the 5-year-old’s mom. We talk with neighbors about the sudden loss of Gabrielle Garcia at 8:30pm on @komonews. pic.twitter.com/8iWNeSUOAw
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) November 4, 2018
As to a motive, Q13 News reports that Morris “stabbed Garcia to death because he thought it would be better in the long run for their 5-year-old.”
Morris allegedly told detectives after the brutal slaying that “it’s extremely easy to kill people…if you’re willing to die, and feel like you’ve lost everything.”
According to The Seattle Times, Morris refused to take responsibility for his actions, saying Garcia caused him “to lose access to his son, debt, and other relationship issues.”
#NewDetails on the #SeattleCenter stabbing. Super form says David Lee Morris was trying to talk to Gabrielle about their relationship problems, but she was avoiding it. He thought she was going to call her attorney. That's when He decided it was time to kill her. Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/Rr9FuHMndT
— KIRO 7 Brooke (@KIRO7Brooke) November 3, 2018
The suspect is behind bars without bail. He faces life in prison if convicted of the first-degree murder charge against him.
[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
