SEATTLE — The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an assault that happened at the Northgate Light Rail Station Monday afternoon.
Investigators say a 72-year-old woman was hit in the head with a metal object and taken to an area hospital. The victim is expected to be ok, according to Seattle Fire.
“That’s tragic. It ruins it for everybody and obviously it ruined it for her. Hopefully, she is ok,” one transit rider told KIRO7.
KIRO7 spoke to several people at the light rail station to gauge their thoughts on the attack and overall public safety on public transit. Lily, who uses transit daily, says for the most part does feel safe, but isn’t shocked the attack happened.
“I’ve had a bad experience when I was alone on a train or I was with one other person and they were not doing what they were supposed to,” she said.
A spokesperson with Sound Transit sent KIRO7 this statement on the attack and other security measures in place to protect riders –
“The safety of our passengers is our top priority. While riding light rail is generally very safe, any assault is one too many. We are cooperating with law enforcement in the hope that the perpetrator can be found and brought to justice.”
“We continue to make significant investments in security. In 2023, the Board voted to approve four new security contracts, totaling $250 million over six years. As a result, we have more than doubled our security presence since last year, with 550 security personnel available to us. We have also established a special rapid response team, which arrives on the scene of incidents in five minutes. Finally, we encourage riders to call or text security if they see something they feel is unsafe: 206-398-5268.” - Spokesperson John Gallagher
Some riders say they notice the security improvements daily.
“I’m happy to see that there is more security when I show up here, especially on weekends or the evenings,” one rider said.
On the other hand, some hope to see Sound Transit continue to invest in security.
“It doesn’t deter me, but I do try to stay vigilant and protect myself in any way I can,” Lily said.
The King County Sheriff’s Office says a 42-year-old woman was involved, but it isn’t clear who started the altercation. No one was arrested or taken into custody.