Seattle Harborview Trauma Room Attack Leads to Assault, Arson Charges Against Vancouver Man
Updated (3 articles)
February 14 Attack Leaves Trauma Room in Disarray Police responded to Harborview Medical Center at 10:20 a.m. on Feb. 14 to find emergency‑room staff and security restraining 29‑year‑old Steven Sauro while “almost everything in the room” was knocked over, including medical equipment and supplies [1]. Sauro allegedly spat on nurses, kicked a guard, and was placed in a spit‑sock after continuing to yell and rock on a bed [1]. He had visited the ER the night before for wrist injuries, was told he needed a splint and would be discharged, and his anger over that decision reportedly triggered the violent outburst [1].
Assault, Arson, and Mischief Charges Filed with High Bail King County prosecutors charged Sauro with multiple counts of assault, first‑degree arson, and malicious mischief for the February 14 incident [1]. He was booked into King County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond and remains detained pending an initial plea scheduled for Feb. 24 [1]. The charges reflect both the physical assault on staff and the attempted ignition of an oxygen line that could have caused a catastrophic explosion [1].
Damage Exceeds $100,000 as Fire Is Extinguished Sauro damaged an oxygen‑line valve and gathered items to start a fire, prompting security to extinguish the blaze before it could spread [1]. The oxygen system alone requires repairs estimated at over $100,000, contributing to total damages that run into the thousands of dollars [1]. Nurses administered a sedative after he continued to resist restraint, and the incident has spurred a review of security protocols in the hospital’s trauma areas [1].
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Timeline
April 2024 – A detainee identified as R.T. reports that a guard at the Northwest ICE Processing Center repeatedly gropes his genitals during a pat‑down, and he tells facility officials and Tacoma police about the assault, which they refer to GEO’s internal probe without interviewing anyone [2].
September 2024 – Andre Phillip Karlow allegedly punches transgender Sound Transit fare‑enforcement officer Lexi Young at a South Seattle light‑rail station, shouting a slur; Young later tells KING 5, “the attack targeted how I present and identify,” highlighting the hate‑motivated nature of the assault [3].
March 2025 – Karlow participates in a group assault on University Way Northeast in Seattle’s University District; attackers shout anti‑transgender slurs, break the victim’s teeth and cause multiple injuries, prompting a police investigation that later adds hate‑crime charges [3].
2025 – The UW Center for Human Rights releases a study documenting that Tacoma police routinely defer ICE‑center abuse complaints to GEO Group internal investigations, noting over 150 reports in a decade and only two prosecutions, both involving GEO employees as alleged victims [2].
Jan 28, 2026 – The trial of Karlow begins in King County Superior Court on second‑degree assault and hate‑crime charges tied to the March 2025 University District attack; he enters a not‑guilty plea and remains detained on $200,000 bail while prosecutors consider additional suspects [3].
Feb 5, 2026 – Three detainees file a civil lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court against the GEO Group, alleging sexual assault, beatings, neck‑pinning, denial of medical care, and retaliation, and claim Tacoma police failed to conduct independent investigations despite the 2025 UW report [2].
Feb 14, 2026 – Steven Sauro storms Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center trauma room, spits on staff, kicks a guard, damages an oxygen‑line valve and gathers items to start a fire; security extinguishes the blaze and nurses sedate him after he continues yelling and rocking [1].
Feb 20, 2026 – King County prosecutors charge Sauro with multiple counts of assault, first‑degree arson and malicious mischief, hold him on $250,000 bail, and schedule his initial plea hearing for Feb 24 [1].
Feb 24, 2026 – Sauro is slated to enter his initial plea in King County Court, a key step that will determine whether the case proceeds to trial or a negotiated resolution [1].