A 25-year-old Auburn, Washington, man was sentenced on June 2 to 54 months in prison for a federal hate crime after violently assaulting and stabbing a Black female passenger on a King County Metro bus because of her race, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Adan Hernandez-Mayoral received the sentence for using a knife as a dangerous weapon to cause bodily injury during the incident.
U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “The facts of what happened on that bus are despicable. It was a prolonged intentional assault on a Black woman…. We need to protect the public from this defendant.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said, “Racially motivated attacks such as this one shock the conscience of our community. This office will join with our state and local partners to ensure these crimes are investigated and those who commit them will be held accountable. Such hate has no place here.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “Today, we have delivered justice with the sentencing of Adan Hernandez-Mayoral for his brutal, racially motivated attack on the victim. Assaults like these destroy our communities by breeding fear and distrust of public places and facilities. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute such cases to restore safety and confidence in our cities’ streets and transit systems.”
According to court documents, Hernandez-Mayoral boarded the bus on March 7, 2024, made racist comments about Black people including yelling at the victim that he did not like Black people and referring to her as “Rosa Parks.” When she tried moving away from him, he followed her while hiding a knife behind his back before pushing her off at a stop into a fence where he beat her and stabbed her repeatedly; only her thick coat prevented more serious injuries. He fled but was arrested later that evening by Kent Police officers.
Chief Rafael Padilla of the Kent Police Department said, “This was a horrific and deeply disturbing racially motivated assault that targeted an innocent member of our community because of the color of her skin… I want to commend the Kent Police Officers and Detectives whose swift response… led to the arrest… I also want to express my sincere appreciation to the FBI… King County Prosecutor’s Office… United States Attorney’s Office… This outcome reinforces the importance of strong partnerships between local and federal law enforcement in our shared mission …” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge at FBI Seattle field office, added: “Together with our partners such as Kent Police Department, FBI will hold accountable those like Mr. Hernandez-Mayoral who engage in violent hate crimes.”
Hernandez-Mayoral pleaded guilty on December 23, 2025; restitution will be determined later.
The case was investigated by Kent Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for Western District of Washington along with Trial Attorney Tenette Smith from Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division with assistance from King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington promotes community safety through programs addressing gun violence and online threats; operates offices in Seattle and Tacoma; is part of the U.S. Department of Justice; includes about 85 attorneys plus support staff; handles federal prosecutions/civil litigation; covers areas including Seattle/Tacoma—all according to its official website.
