KENT, Wash. – December 26, 2017 – On December 15th, in the morning hours, a brutal assault occurred outside in the common area of the Hawthorne Suites Hotel, located at 6329 S 212th ST in Kent.  Early information indicates that after the assault the involved suspects fled from the hotel toward the neighboring Shell gas station located in the 6300 block of S 212th.

The victim, identified as 36-year-old Port Angeles resident Christopher Ochs, was critically injured as a result of the assault. Ochs was transported to Harborview Medical Center; however, due to the severity of his head trauma he tragically succumbed to his injuries six days later on December 21st.

According to investigators, this does not appear to be a random incident, and it is believed that those involved in the attack may have been known to Ochs. Unfortunately, the suspects are still at large and have not yet been identified.

Investigators are still piecing together the circumstances involved in the assault and are asking for anyone who may have witnessed any of the events that morning at the Hawthorne Suites Hotel and/or Shell Gas Station to come forward.

Kent Police are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or the Kent Police tip line 253-856-5808.