SEATTLE — A King County Metro bus driver was fatally stabbed early Wednesday morning in Seattle’s University District.
The victim, identified as 59-year-old Shawn Yim, was attacked near the intersection of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 41st Street shortly before 3 a.m.
Officers responding to reports of a stabbing found Yim suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest. Despite efforts by police and Seattle Fire Department medics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said the incident began as a physical altercation between Yim and a male passenger on the bus. After the assault, Yim managed to walk a short distance before collapsing. The suspect got away and is still on the loose.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell called the attack “shocking and heartbreaking. My deepest sympathies are with Mr. Yim’s family as they grapple with the devastating loss of their loved one during the holiday season, and with the staff of King County Metro and members of ATU Local 587 as they mourn a colleague and friend.”
“No one should feel unsafe riding transit in Seattle—and that includes our transit operators. Transit operators not only perform an essential duty to our entire city by keeping us connected and getting us where we need to go—they are also an essential part of our community as reliably friendly faces we see every day. These hardworking individuals deserve to be safe and secure doing their jobs, and we must eliminate the threats and impacts of violence that are completely unacceptable in our city.”
Police are urging anyone with information about the suspect or the incident to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling the Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
Too bad this bus drover wasn’t a CEO. We would see auch different response.
Why, why, WHY is there no description of the assailant? Oh, wait. I know why, and so do you.
Well well well… The usual suspect as we thought. The blue jacket guy.
So heartbreaking. Sending prayers and love to his family.
Shawn Yim was my high school friend and he was an all around nice person and human being. I pray for his family. He went to Foster High School graduating class of 1984. He was a good student and played football and tennis. I am so sick to hear he was taken from his family in this way. I can’t say enough about how great and person he was. What is wrong with this world. I can’t stand this constant barrage of news about killing, stealing, assaulting and state of this city.
I second this. Seattle voters: Please stop addressing complex social and economic problems (homelessness, mental illness, violence, poverty, addiction) by accommodating criminals and rehabilitating addicts before guaranteeing worker safety and funding schools. You’re not helping, you’re posing. Guilt-ridden wealthy voters who benefit from a system that makes the rich richer while ignoring the health and safety of the labor force and their families—the backbone of society—are only play-acting moral virtue. In practice, their moral sanctimony only awards civil benefits and liberties to those who have shown they are the least capable of managing their bounty. Instead, let’s: (1) guarantee safe working environments for our laborers, and (2) guarantee safe learning environments and public spaces for our children. These are core civil rights that should be protected above all others. I live in Belltown and it’s a nightly war here. Addressing social inequity by accommodating criminals and defunding the police is like trying to save an orchard by rescuing its diseased and damaged fruit. Meanwhile, you leave the trunks, branches, and root systems to rot. Not a successful strategy. Reestablishing law and order in Seattle absolutely must come first, or nothing but chaos will ensue. My heart goes out to Mr. Lim’s family. Their loss is tragic and a terrible blow for our entire community.
Where are the pictures of the suspect? There are multiple cameras on every metro coach. Let’s get this guy.
My prayers go out to the family for so many years. I have complained about the safety of operators. I’m pretty sure it’s the same guy that tried to kill me in March 2024 King County Metro does not care about operators. I’ve my concerns about safety about added security Working overnight shifts and my words went on death years. I pray the family receives justice and this is why operators should be able to carry weapons to protect themselves.
Greetings fellow Operators. I am a former Transit Operator for King County. I drove for 30 years and I experienced verbal and 2 times physical violence. I drove nights 80 percent of my career going home past 4 AM. I strongly agree with you. We are forbidden to carry any types of self defense items. I knew something like this would happen one day. I hope King County will amend these rules so maybe our Transit Operators have a fighting chance to survive out there and go home to their families.
It’s nuts to not even let city workers carry pepper spray. I was headed for the CID link station one day months ago when two guys fell into a slug fest right in front of me. Bystanders pulled them apart. One stood about 6 feet in front of me digging into his right pocket. He pulled out a knife and took one step and … I had a lipstick case sized canister of pepper right ready to go in my right hand with my finger on the trigger. It was automatic and easy. I got him right in the face. He backed away and with a female friend removed himself from the crowd. I thought it was over but…. Nope. The two of them again slammed down right in front of me. You could see the black guy was being slashed across his chest and abdomen and skin separated and blood oozed. Somewhere in there I sprayed BOTH of them in the face. I got yelled at. Threatened. Again bystanders pulled them apart. There were 9-11 transit security right there but they stayed at the periphery. The Samoan guy with the knife was subdued BEFORE transit security cuffed him. About then, 5 SPD cars showed up. 10 officers … started documenting it all and bandaging the black guys who’s wounds appeared just cosmetic. As I talked to one officer I caught the eye of a young slim black transit security officer. His look. A THANK YOU… If you weren’t there. I was sickened to think one of these young men, many immigrants, could have gotten stabbed in the abdomen by a drunk idiot. I don’t understand these rules nor why city employees and their unions just insist on better safety. And insist on being allowed to carry Narcan. I’ve asked and they tell me they want to but it’s prohibited as they city is concerned about … liability????? Get some doctors in here. Look at data. You’re more concerned about law suits than people’s lives? I’ve lost my canister and it’s freaky to walk around without pepper spray in the CID. I’ll get another one. ACE hardware’s don’t work well. I’ll probably order, I think the brand is Saber.. asap. I’ll never forget that look. Thank God you were there. It was right after the monthly CID public forum.