Tacoma, Washington

From the Tacoma News-Tribune of May 11, 2006

TACOMA: Man attacks city councilman in parking lot, threatens to kill him

Tacoma police were looking Wednesday for the driver of a late-model black Jaguar who attacked Tacoma City Councilman Rick Talbert in the parking lot of a downtown dry cleaner.

Talbert, 40, said he was hit in the face and back and pushed into his pickup during the altercation shortly before noon Tuesday.

The attacker threatened to kill Talbert and was reaching behind his back as if for a gun when an armed clerk came out of the cleaners and ordered the man to back off, Talbert said.

Talbert said he had no idea who the man was or what prompted the assault. He doesn’t believe the attacker knew him or knew that he was a city councilman.

“It’s the most bizarre thing that’s happened in my life,” he said.

The trouble started a few blocks away as Talbert was driving to the cleaners. The man began honking at Talbert and followed him to the business, Talbert said.

Several people witnessed the attack and Talbert took down the license plate from the man’s vehicle.

“We feel fairly confident that an arrest is imminent,” Tacoma police spokeswoman Tracy Conaway said Wednesday.

Talbert said his jaw was sore Wednesday morning but that he wasn’t seriously injured.