Muslim Convert Scott C. Fandrich Stabs Two People outside Starbucks after Discussion about Religion

There’s certainly not enough information yet to determine what’s going on here. But based on the information released so far, it seems (1) that Scott C. Fandrich is a Muslim who has announced his willingness to die for Islam, (2) that he was approached by Jerry Kush in Starbucks for a discussion “about cars and religion,” and (3) that Fandrich followed Kush outside and stabbed him repeatedly. Fandrich could, of course, turn out to be a complete nut case. Or he could be yet another Muslim convert who realizes that Islam calls for the violent subjugation of non-Muslims. We’ll see what the investigation reveals.

Scott C. Fandrich Appears in Court

Vancouver, Washington–A 55-year-old suspect in the stabbing of two people in a Starbucks coffee shop drive-thru at one of the busiest intersections in Clark County may have been motivated by religious extremism, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Scott C. Fandrich of Ridgefield appeared Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of two counts of first-degree assault.

Judge Barbara Johnson set bail at $500,000. Fandrich is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges March 22. Vancouver attorney Jack “John” Peterson was appointed to defend him.

Fandrich wore an orange jumpsuit and limped into the courtroom. In a low voice, he mumbled answers to questions from Senior Deputy Prosecutor Camara Banfield.

Fandrich is accused of attacking Jerry Kush, who is either 70 or 71, just before 5 p.m. in the Starbucks drive-thru at 11502 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., in Cascade Park, after the two had a conversation about religion, according to court records.

The affidavit said:

Hamza A. Shariati, 21, told police that he had met Fandrich at about 2 p.m. Monday to discuss religion. During their conversation at one of the cafe’s tables, Kush approached and chatted with Fandrich about cars and religion.

When Kush got up and left, Fandrich followed him out of the building, Shariati said. Then, Shariati said, he heard sirens.

Shariati told police that Fandrich had made statements in the past about “his willingness to die for Islam.” He said he knows that Fandrich “has conflicts with people.”

Kush was stabbed at least five times in the neck, abdomen and the side of the chest and had to undergo emergency surgery Monday night at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

Bystanders tried to intervene and stop Fandrich, according to earlier reports by The Columbian. One of them, Jerry Nehnevaj, 49, was stabbed in the right lower leg when he attempted to grab Fandrich and pull him off of Kush, according to the affidavit. (Continue Reading.)