TUKWILA, Wash. — Hours after a King County Metro bus driver was stabbed and killed while on duty in Seattle, the union that represents those transit operators delivered a list of safety demands during a press conference.
Around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, a 59-year-old bus driver was stabbed in the chest after a physical altercation near the intersection of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 41st Street. During Wednesday's press conference, the driver was identified as Shawn Yim, who had been driving for King County Metro since 2015.
Greg Woodfill, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union 587, began the press conference by pushing for a series of measures.
"This union will start with the following demands, that King County just takes care of the family members. We prosecute this murder to the full extent of the law. We demand isolated and secure operator compartments ASAP. We demand establishment of a regional task force on transit, safety and security," Woodfill told reporters.
Woodfill said he got into office in July and has been speaking with local politicians, but said these items are no longer requests, but demands.
"We also demand emergency funds be directed to greatly expand, expand our metro transit police force. We need more transit, Metro Transit Police," Woodfill added.
Officials said the Seattle Police Department will be leading the investigation of the stabbing. Transit police said photos of the suspect have been gathered but have yet to be released.
The suspect in the stabbing was initially described in alerts early Wednesday morning as a 6-foot-1 man wearing a blue jacket.