Riders raise safety concerns after two violent incidents at Seattle public transit sites

Transit safety concerns after two violent incidents

Two terrifying incidents of violence in public transit in the last week—and still no arrests. Riders are raising serious concerns of safety.

SEATTLE - Within the last week, Seattle transit riders experienced two separate terrifying incidents.

Tuesday, a 30-year-old man was shot and killed on a metro bus in West Seattle. The Thursday before that, two people were injured at the Beacon Hill light rail station after a man attacked them with a hammer. In both cases an arrest has yet to be made.

Sound Transit reports the number of violent incidents system-wide is small compared to the surge in ridership. Agency spokesperson John Gallagher shared so far this year, 155 assaults were reported.

King County Metro spokesperson Jeff Switzer says the agency continues to invest in and improve security efforts. He reports the department is hiring more transit security officers to patrol buses and transit centers.

"We are saddened by this tragic incident and are supporting King County Sheriff’s detectives in their investigation as they pursue the suspect in this incident," said Switzer. "These incidents are isolated and rare, and we are grateful that the other passengers and our transit operator were not injured."