Metro drivers from around Puget Sound want to remind local leaders of the dangers they face after losing one of their own in a violent attack.
Shawn Yim, 59, was attacked and killed while driving in the University District near University Way Northeast on Wednesday.
Seattle police say the suspect at large, Richard Sitzlack, 53, stabbed Yim multiple times in the chest.
“You always had concerns, but it wasn’t a daily concern. It wasn’t as bad as it is now,” said Jeremy Une.
Une has been behind the wheel of King County Metro buses for 23 years. But nowadays, he says that’s the most dangerous spot.
“We have a plexiglass shield right now that hasn’t stopped me from getting assaulted,” Une explained.
Une says Wednesday’s deadly attack is a horrifying example of what drivers everywhere experience.
“The level of disrespect has changed so much, and it makes it harder to do your job if people are not respecting you,” Une said.
Une told KIRO 7 he’s been attacked multiple times while driving. One time, he said it happened when a passenger began cussing and yelling at others on the bus.
“I said it’s time for you to go and she came up. Pushed the shield aside, grabbed the glasses off my face and slapped me in the head,” he explained.
Une says his fear of going to work only got worse from there.
“Over the next couple weeks, proceeded to get on my bus and whenever I tried to get the police there, she would run away before the police got there,” he said.
Greg Woodfill, ATU 587 local President, says this is why he keeps pushing for more transit safety security.
“They have an emergency alarm they could trigger, but then how long is it gonna be? Is it gonna be five minutes? 10 minutes? 15 minutes? You just never know,” Woodfill said.
Woodfill says more officers means quicker response times and potentially preventing tragedies.
“We have to have a safe corridor, we have to have safe transit. Otherwise, how are we gonna use our city?”
The transit union is also asking for sturdier barriers to separate drivers up front.
Une says he’s sad it’s gotten to this point but feels like there’s no other choice.
“I hate losing the contact with passengers, but I want to feel safe. I want to be able to go home at night without making a trip to the hospital first,” Une said.
Woodfill says these safety issues have made it harder to hire drivers.
“We would recruit all our family and friends. You don’t hear operators right now recruiting their family and friends to come down and do these jobs, unfortunately, because they’re worried about their safety,” he explained.
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