(The Center Square) – Puget Sound leaders and union heads are demanding better protections for bus drivers after a King County Metro driver was recently killed.
Early Wednesday morning, driver Shawn Yim, 59, was dragged from his bus and repeatedly stabbed to death in Seattle’s University District.
The incident shook the city, King County and the Puget Sound region. Now, leaders are calling for the implementation of policies to keep bus drivers and passengers safe while riding public transit.
“Shawn’s tragic murder in the line of duty is unacceptable,” Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 President Greg Woodfill said in a statement. “It is long overdue for King County Metro to make real changes to ensure our members and riders are safe on our buses, at bus stops and at transit centers.”
According to the union, there has been an uptick in violence directed at workers and riders. In response, the union has pushed for Metro to implement better bus driver shields, more transit police and other safety measures.
Recently, the department halted services in a dangerous area. The Center Square previously reported on Metro suspending bus services at a location in Little Saigon that became more and more concerning for drivers and passengers.
Union members have been shot, struck by objects, attacked with pepper spray, burned with hot coffee, and doused in urine and spit.
Seattle City Council members are calling for more funding for transit security. Councilmembers Bob Kettle and Rob Saka released a joint statement on the incident, noting that the council appropriated an additional $2 million for transit security as part of the recently-adopted 2025-2026 budget.
“The Transportation Committee has been, and will continue to be, laser-focused on investing in and strengthening regional transit security,” Saka and Kettle said in a joint statement. “Community members should expect to go safely about their lives on a daily basis, and we as a city council need to continue to ensure that public safety remains priority number one.”
State leaders are also signaling an intention to prioritize legislation to boost bus driver safety. Washington Senate Transportation Committee Chair Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, said he will be advancing policies that strengthen safety and security on transit in the next legislative session.
On Thursday, the Seattle Police Department identified 53-year-old Richard Sitzlack as a suspect in the stabbing. He is considered armed and dangerous.