LYNNWOOD — Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives are investigating a violent altercation between two elderly roommates that left one man critically injured and the other in custody on a domestic violence assault charge.
South County Fire responders arrived at a home in the 16200 block of Larch Way around 3:20 a.m., Monday, March 2, after receiving reports of an unresponsive 72-year-old man. Medics initiated CPR and transported him to Providence Regional Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.
Law enforcement was called to the scene when aid personnel noticed suspicious injuries and evidence. Investigators determined the victim and a 75-year-old suspect had shared the residence and engaged in recent verbal disputes. During the altercation, authorities say the suspect assaulted the victim, causing life-threatening injuries.
Major Crimes Unit detectives responded, interviewed the suspect and took him into custody. He was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on a charge of first-degree assault involving domestic violence.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 10 older adults living at home experiences some form of abuse, including physical violence by intimate partners or family members. Rates of nonfatal assaults against seniors have risen sharply in recent decades, with costs from such injuries reaching nearly $33 billion nationwide in 2022.
Many incidents go unreported. Experts estimate only one in every 14 to 24 cases of elder abuse reaches authorities, and roughly 90 percent of abuse against older adults is committed by family members or close acquaintances. In Washington state, domestic violence has been linked to a significant share of violent deaths among older adults.
In Snohomish County, Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County provides emergency shelter, safety planning, legal advocacy and support through its 24-hour crisis line at 425-252-2873 — https://snohomishcountywa.gov/434/Helpful-Resources
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services offers a 24-hour hotline for suspected abuse of vulnerable adults at 1-866-363-4276. Nationally, the Domestic Violence Hotline stands ready at 1-800-799-7233.Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
The sheriff’s office continues to investigate the Lynnwood case and has not released the names of those involved.
Author: Mario Lotmore
