Stranger punches man in Kent at Lake Meridian Park
Published 4:16 pm Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Kent Police arrested a 27-year-old Tacoma man for allegedly punching a 64-year-old man in the face for apparently no reason at Lake Meridian Park, 14800 SE 272nd St.
A 64-year-old father and his adult son were at the park on Saturday, May 23 sitting, chatting and having a snack when an adult stranger suddenly walked up and punched the father in the face, according to a May 27 Kent Police Facebook post. The punch caused injury to the man’s forehead. He was treated at the scene by Puget Sound Fire personnel.
Officers contacted the man who was punched and he told them the other man had just left the parking lot. The man was seen headed westbound on Kent-Kangley Road in a white Jeep. An officer pulled the Jeep over a few blocks from the park.
The man who was punched and witnesses told officers there had been no altercation, according to police. Officers took the Tacoma man into custody without incident for investigation of fourth-degree assault and booked him into the city jail.
The Tacoma man told police he thought he was being “mean mugged.” He admitted he was grumpy after being woken up from a nap, according to police. A witness told officers the man had reportedly been drinking prior to falling asleep.
