Man allegedly beats employee with hot sauce following friendly greeting

SEATTLE -- A suspected assailant covered in red was arrested near a restaurant after allegedly smashing a store employee in the face with a bottle of hot sauce when the employee wished him good evening, Seattle police said.

Around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were called to a Chipotle Restauarant near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Pike Street with reports of an assault. Witnesses said a man with a yellow jacket was walking out of the TexMex chain when a male employee wished him "good evening."

For an unknown reason, the 35-year-old suspect turned around and hit the employee in the face with a glass bottle of hot sauce before walking out the store.

Store patrons called 911 and the 25-year-old victim was taken to an area hospital for multiple stitches to wounds on his face. His condition was unknown Thursday morning.

Witnesses pointed officers to the suspect, who was standing near the store. Police noticed he was covered in red hot sauce and bleeding from the hand. Witnesses said he was the man who hit the employee in the face, and the suspect was arrested and booked into King County Jail for investigation of assault.

According to police, the suspect did not try to hide or run when police noticed him.