SEATTLE — Friday’s OL Reign game was a banner day for Sound Transit as the light rail was packed carrying passengers in and out of the city.
Safety on the light rail is top of mind after a man and woman both in their 60s are attacked with a hammer and the man who attacked them is still on the loose.
For Tanya Brown, a light rail rider from Mukilteo, there’s truth to the saying that there is safety in numbers.
“I have a little bit of hesitation. I think you have to be aware of your surroundings and be smart in your choices of where you’re going to be sitting,” Brown said. “Overall I think the city is fine, I think you just have to be aware of your surroundings.”
According to Sound Transit’s records, from January to August, there have been 155 assaults on passengers and workers – that includes reports of verbal assaults on Sound Transit employees. The majority, 70%, happen at the station versus on board a train.
One of those reports yielded two victims who at the time were strangers to each other. Elvia Salas Buenrostoro, and Air Force Veteran Doug Krogel.
Elvia was hit in the head by a man wielding a hammer, “I did not expect him to have a reaction like that,” she said.
Krogel, despite being in a wheelchair intervened and likely saved her life.
“I glanced back just for a second to see where the ladies were at and he clobbered me. He was a lot faster than I thought he was,” Krogel said.
The man suspected of attacking the man and woman was caught on surveillance camera video and is still on the run.
Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm addressed passenger safety this morning.
“It is critical that not only are our people safe but that they feel safe. So it is a twofold attempt to make sure that we are responding to the concerns that we are hearing from the public,” she said.
Sound Transit has permanently increased security staffing at nine of 10 stations. Onboard security has increased by 211%.
“You will see a change if you haven’t seen it yet. You will see it soon, it’s coming, it’s here it’s now,” Timm added.