AUBURN, Wash. — Auburn police say a group armed with illegally modified guns carried out an ambush attack at a bus stop. It happened at 6:40 a.m. on Sunday. Four people, including three juveniles, were hurt, and the shooters took off running.
Police released surveillance video that shows the shooting. There was a barrage of bullets at the bus stop near M Street and 29th Street Southeast.
Neighbors were still tallying the damage Monday. The gunfire left holes in houses. Sofia Golub says it is the latest act of violence in a part of Auburn where they're growing tired of the shootings.
"It has happened multiple times already," Golub said. "We have a whole bunch of holes in our fence back there. I was like, okay, another shooting happened. No surprise there.”
Police call what happened Sunday morning an ambush attack.
"I mean, this is extremely alarming, the fact that these people came out and started shooting at a public bus,” said Kolby Crossley, the Auburn Police Department's public information officer.
Investigators said four people dressed in all black with masks on came rushing toward the bus stop, firing as five people stepped off of a King County Metro bus, hurting four of them.
"They use these handguns that they illegally modify to make them full auto," Crossley said.
Police said during the investigation, it was determined that one of the victims was armed as well and returned fire as they fled.
"It was terrifying," said Colleen Smith who lives nearby. "I woke up to the boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom at 6:40."
"That is the first time ever in my life that I ever heard that many shots go off that close to me,” said nearby resident Krystal Benson.
"These are bullets," Golub said. "They can kill people. So, it is definitely very scary."
Police collected nearly 100 shell casings.
“They ran out of the yellow markers," Smith said. "They had to make their own. I have never seen such a thing."
For neighbors, it’s an astonishing amount of gunfire close to homes and a church.
"Where do I go to be safe?” Smith asked.
"I just hope for the best," Golub said. "Hope that the situation can get figured out. Hopefully as soon as possible before another person gets hurt."
King County Metro said 12 rounds struck the bus. In a statement, a Metro spokesperson said, “This was a shocking and unprecedented incident."
Since 2022, there have been seven shooting incidents directly impacting Metro buses. There were four incidents in 2022, one last year, and two so far in 2024. Sunday’s shooting is considered an off-coach incident.
Metro employs 170 unarmed security guards. The agency has 56 KCSO Metro Transit Police staff. Metro serves more than 7,200 bus stops and has about 290,000 boardings each weekday.
Metro’s statement also said, “We are urging the public to contact Auburn police with any and all information that will aid in their investigation.”
Anyone with information regarding this case can contact the Auburn PD Tip Line at 253-288-7403.