Attack on Asian woman at Lowes not found to be racially motivated

A Lacey woman was beaten with a traffic cone at the Lowes store in south Lacey on April 6, 2021 at 9:49 a.m.

Seattle media suggested that due to the victim’s Asian ethnicity, that it was potentially a racial attack. However, the Lacey Police report’s witness statements, including a statement by the victim, that no specific motivation of racism was mentioned.

Raymond Thomas Dual, 36, was arrested by Lacey Police in the 5600 Corporate Center Lane SE footprint after he exited the Lowe’s area and walked to a nearby Starbucks location a block away.

A witness told Lacey Police that they were inside the garden center, and heard a female voice yell for “help” but thought it was likely a joke, then saw Dual hitting the victim, with a large traffic cone, at least three separate times. Dual began repeatedly yelling “You stay there bitch” until the witness actively pulled the victim away from Dual.

The victim had been shielded herself by covering her head and crouching down, bracing for the blows against the traffic cone swung by Dual.

The victim, 73, said that she did not lose consciousness nor was knocked to the ground, but did feel pain in her right shoulder down to her hand. She was unclear why Dual, a stranger to her, had begun to hit her with the traffic cone.

According to the Lacey Police report, the victim had been approached by Dual, who repeatedly told her to stay where she was and called her “bitch.” The victim’s attempt to walk away provoked Dual to hit her with the traffic cone.

After Lacey Police apprehended Dual, they arrested him for misdemeanor assault and provided his Miranda rights, he told them “I am not afraid of you,” and began laughing. Dual then admitted that “Yeah, I hit her” and continued to laugh, according to the police report.

Dual was booked into the Nisqually Jail on April 6 and remains there today.

Dual was brought before the Olympia Municipal Court on different matters April 13. He has two active warrants, including an assault on April 4, two days prior to the April 6 attack at Lowe’s, and also includes a case in the Thurston District Court.