On Friday night, a few hours after an amazing win a man and a woman walked down streets you use. It is about 10:30 at night. There are still plenty of people around. Post-match police presence is starting to fade away but not totally absent. They are together.

Then Kristin Ito is attacked by a stranger with a knife. Troy Wolff defends her but takes several stab wounds.

Police show up and the attacker essentially surrenders himself and the weapon.

Wolff and Ito are rushed to the hospital where Wolff dies as a hero and a Sounder.

Wolff could have been any of us.

More: Help Kristin Ito



I don't think I knew Troy Wolff prior to the tragedy that took his life. But I feel as if I do now, and should have then. He was one of us. Just look at the rest of the pictures from Shoreline Community College's Flickr. An educator with an impact on his students and his community's lives he loved literature and travel. He was one of us.

Troy posted this from the match via Shoreline Community College

Troy passed with honor doing things that nearly any of us would do. Mr. Wolff was murdered and it has nothing to do with the Sounders, except that he was one of us.

Troy Wolff, we will hear you from your sleep.

I hope to never have to link to the police blotter for a Sounders story again. Please stay as safe as you can. One incident like this in our community is too many.