The PI is reporting that a woman was killed in a stabbing assault last night around 7:15pm on Capitol Hill near Group Health.

Neighbors heard a scream and called 911, and police found her unresponsive with multiple stab wounds. She later died at Harborview.

Police detectives are looking for anyone who may have witnessed the crime or have other information to help in the investigation.

Also covered in The Stranger and The Seattle Times.

UPDATE: The victim has been identified as Shannon Harps, a Sierra Club employee who had lived on that block at 15th & Howell for a couple of years.

Police have released the following description of the killer:
White Male in his 40’s
6′ tall
3-4 inch long beard
“scruffy looking”
Wearing a blue starter jacket and possibly a yellow hoody
Possibly a transient

A police sketch should be coming later in the week.

UPDATE x2:
The Seattle Times has more information on the 31-year-old victim and a few more details on the description of the attacker. The attack occurred as she approached her condo, after walking home from the grocery store. Ms. Harps was a global-warming organizer for the Sierra Club, and had lived in the area for 3 years after moving here from Ohio.

And The Stranger has posted some speculation that the attack could be linked to a Sierra Club volunteer who had pursued a date with Ms. Harps and made staff members “uncomfortable”.

Update x3:
Capitol Hill Blog has a good write-up on the latest twist, where the police released a drawing that resembles the description of the suspect, but which is evidently actually for a witness that they’re looking for. Very odd.