Three individuals are facing hate crime charges after allegedly targeting patrons outside an LGBTQ+ bar in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood earlier this year. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed the charges in connection to an incident that occurred on the night of February 19 outside Pony, a popular gay bar located at 1221 E Madison Street.
Authorities say 24-year-old Jessica Jay Clark, 19-year-old Justin Michael Mayor, and a 17-year-old (whose identity has not been released due to age) spent more than an hour circling the bar in a dark blue 2005 Lexus LS300 Sedan. Witnesses say they shouted homophobic and transphobic slurs while firing water pellets at the people gathered outside.
The vehicle, identified by a distinctive “WRLD 999” sticker and license plate visible in photos taken by bystanders, was linked to Clark via a police database. Clark had previously reported the same car stolen in 2022.
According to police reports, the suspects passed a toy gun between them, using it to shoot water pellets at individuals near the bar. One woman was struck in the arm. Witnesses told police the suspects also exited the vehicle at one point to shout slurs directly at the crowd before fleeing when confronted by staff.
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Clark later told officers she didn’t realize Pony was a gay bar, though she acknowledged the group had chosen Capitol Hill, known for its LGBTQ+ community, as a stop while looking for food. She claimed she had been wearing headphones in the backseat and hadn’t participated in the harassment, although several witnesses said otherwise.
Mayor, who was reportedly behind the wheel during part of the incident, told police he believed they had taken things too far. Footage captured by the 17-year-old showed verbal taunts, including calls for patrons to “bark” and repeated use of anti-LGBTQ+ slurs.
Despite their later claims of remorse, the group allegedly continued circling the block even after being confronted. Photos from the scene showed Mayor pointing the toy gun out the car window, with the teen visible in the backseat.
On March 4, a Seattle Police Department detective submitted the case to the prosecutor’s office, recommending hate crime charges based on the behavior observed and statements collected.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Yessenia Manzo officially filed charges against Clark and Mayor on April 3, while the case against the juvenile was filed by Senior Deputy Prosecutor Sarah Erickson-Mills on April 9. None of the individuals have prior criminal records.
Clark and Mayor are scheduled to appear for arraignment at King County Court on April 17. The juvenile is expected in court on April 22 at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center.
According to King County officials, over 350 hate crime cases have been filed since 2018. While reports surged during the early stages of the pandemic, recent trends suggest a gradual decline in hate-related offenses.
