TACOMA — In the past year, two women have been attacked at Point Defiance Park by men unknown to them.
On Wednesday, a woman reported she was sexually assaulted at about 5 p.m. in the parking lot near the dog park. She was walking her dog when “an unknown male suspect” attacked her from behind, according to Tacoma police.
The man was wearing dark clothing, gloves and a mask, police say. No arrests had been made as of Friday, and police do not have a description of the attacker, according to the department’s spokesman detective William Muse.
The Tacoma Police Department has implemented emphasis patrols throughout the park and in the area to help make sure people feel safe, Muse said.
Eleven months ago, a woman was walking along Five-Mile Drive at Point Defiance Park when she was stabbed several times. The woman survived the Feb. 10 attack but suffered multiple lacerations and wounds.
Nicholas Matthew was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder a month later. Matthew’s criminal case is moving forward at the Pierce County Superior Court and his next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16, records show.
Following the stabbing, security measures were increased, Metro Parks Tacoma spokesperson Megan Snow told The News Tribune.
The parks’ security continues to conduct emphasis patrols, and Metro Parks has dedicated parks guides on walking trails. Park watch volunteers have increased their activity at the trails, she said.
Metro Parks launched the park guide program in 2023 in which it hired four guides, Snow said. Two park guides were added in 2024. Metro Parks has also allocated money in its approved budget to add another park guide to the team.
The guides are a first point of contact for visitors at the parks who have questions and concerns, according to Metro Parks Tacoma’s website.
Metro Parks brought back temporary mobile security cameras after the stabbing which were deployed at two park entrances. Snow said the cameras are deployed during the summer when park hours are longer and it is busier. They are not currently deployed.
The dog park, the area where Wednesday’s attack happened, is in the back of the park near Fort Nisqually. Snow said there are currently no security cameras there.
Snow said Metro Parks is having conversations with the Tacoma Police Department to assess what it would look like to have security cameras in the park.
“Our commitment is unwavering to provide safety in the parks, and we’re going to be assessing all the options available to us to help us ensure that we can get the right tools in the right places,” she said. “While security cameras are useful in an investigation, I don’t want people to think that that solves criminal activity.”
Snow said Metro Parks contracted security services will continue to conduct emphasis patrols. She said Metro Parks’ approach is to make sure the park has more coverage and more activation of security services overall.
“While we recognize that we want to ensure that people feel safe in the parks, and we want people to feel safe in the parks, we can’t provide for everyone’s safety from the actions of individuals who visit our parks,” Snow said.
She said Metro Parks encourages visitors to be vigilant and be aware of their surroundings, while recognizing that they will continue to figure out safety and how to ensure that people feel safe at the parks.
