A calculated deception unfolded in downtown Bellevue, Washington, shattering the calm of a Friday afternoon. A man, now identified as Mohamed Morray Bangura, lured police to the Bellevue Transit Center with a fabricated 911 call, setting in motion a brutal ambush.
The incident occurred just after 12:25 p.m., as officers responded to a reported disturbance. Bangura, 38, initially engaged the officers in seemingly normal conversation, calmly directing their attention to the location of the alleged argument he’d reported.
The facade crumbled in an instant. Without warning, Bangura unzipped his jacket and lunged at one officer, wielding a kitchen knife in a vicious, ice-pick-style attack. The officer narrowly avoided the initial thrust, but the assailant immediately turned on a second officer.
A horrifying slash across the face was the first blow, followed by two more stabs as the officer fell to the ground. The attack was swift and merciless, leaving one officer with a six-inch facial laceration, a dislocated shoulder, and a fractured clavicle.
Responding with decisive action, the uninjured officer discharged his weapon six times, striking Bangura three times in the arm, leg, and hip. Only then were the officers able to create distance and secure the scene.
Prosecutors have since charged Bangura with first-degree assault with a deadly weapon enhancement, and second-degree assault with a deadly weapon enhancement. The charges reflect the severity of the attack and the deliberate nature of the ambush.
Investigators discovered Bangura had been previously encountered near the transit center, found sleeping on the property of a local church in September. This revealed a pattern of instability and a growing connection to the area.
The attack wasn’t random. Evidence suggests Bangura harbored resentment towards a different officer within the Bellevue Police Department, stemming from a complaint filed just the day before. This simmering animosity appears to have fueled his violent actions.
Prior to the ambush, Bangura had reportedly threatened a security guard after being asked to leave the church grounds. A responding officer documented the threat, informing Bangura he would be facing harassment charges – a consequence Bangura seemingly sought to avoid through more drastic measures.
According to prosecutors, Bangura deliberately armed himself and targeted two officers who were responding to a completely unrelated call, believing they represented the authority he resented. Moments before the attack, he reportedly shouted, “Officer [X] put a false case on me.”
The first-degree assault charge specifically addresses the brutal stabbing of the first officer, while the second-degree charge acknowledges the trauma inflicted upon the second officer, even without a physical stab wound. Washington law defines assault as an intentional act that creates a reasonable fear of harm.
Bangura is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18th, where he will formally respond to the charges. The investigation continues to uncover the full scope of his motives and the events leading up to this shocking act of violence.
