A suspect is accused of attacking another man with a hammer in downtown Seattle while he was awaiting trial for a felony robbery charge. Christopher E. Martin, 34, is accused of hitting the victim on the back of the head with a hammer and stealing his backpack at a King County Metro bus shelter on Pike Street on Jan. 13. The victim died from his injuries on Jan. 19 and the case was transferred to homicide detectives. Martin is currently facing first-degree assault and first-degree robbery charges related to the attack. Martin was previously charged with second-degree robbery related to an incident on Feb. 4, 2022, where he blocked a victim's path while they were trying to exit a transit station, demanded the victim's jacket and threatened to kill them. Martin was released from jail on May 5 and checked into a Port Angeles behavioral health facility. On May 31, the Department of Public Defense argued for Martin's release on his own recognizance, saying he would live with his sister while continuing treatment and looking for more permanent housing. In June 2022, Martin was released on his own personal recognizance while awaiting trial, despite the state's objection that he posed a danger to the community. Read the full story here: https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/suspect-deadly-downtown-seattle-hammer-attack/281-eb52320b-3a6b-4503-b8d2-3d1a3f5880ee