Heroism by King County Metro employees
King County Metro’s bus operators and Transit Control Center coordinators helped lead to the arrest of the suspect in the murder of Metro Transit Operator Shawn Yim on December 18.
While driving a northbound RapidRide E Line bus on the morning of December 21, Metro bus operator Anthony “A.J.” Ross observed a passenger onboard with some similarities to the suspect, whom Ross had driven a number of times prior to Wednesday’s murder. However, there were differences between the passenger and the police description. After the trip terminated at Aurora Village Transit Center along with Ross’s shift, Ross dropped his bus off at North Base and returned immediately in his personal vehicle.
After Ross saw the same rider change into shoes matching the police description, Ross immediately called the King County Sherriff’s Office. The suspect then boarded another bus headed southbound. However, Ross was able to provide an updated description of the suspect and to assist police in narrowing down the bus that the suspect was likely to be riding.
Southbound RapidRide E Line bus operator Timmothy Nelson says he received a call from the Transit Control Center – staffed at the time by Coordinators Gary Fuller, David Nguyen and Anthony Oetjens – asking whether a passenger meeting the description was aboard. Nelson was able to confirm that the passenger was onboard and then flagged down Seattle Police Department officers. The officers boarded Nelson’s bus at Third Avenue and Main Street in downtown Seattle. The suspect was apprehended without incident, and was identified by the Seattle Police Department and Metro Transit Police.
Nelson knew Yim and regularly rode on Yim’s bus to get to work each day. Nelson remembers Yim as kind and thoughtful.
King County Metro extends its profound appreciation to Gary Fuller, Timmothy Nelson, David Nguyen, Anthony Oetjens, Anthony “A.J.” Ross, Metro Service Quality supervisors, Metro Transit Police officers and Seattle Police Department officers. The family of Shawn Yim similarly share their thanks for the arrest of the suspect.
I hope Anthony ‘AJ’ Ross gets to collect the reward money. That was some great police work on his part. As I read it, He dropped off his bus at North Base after shift, drove back to the Aurora transit center ( which is only a few miles from N.B but his timing was critical) and observed the suspect change shoes into a recognizable pair that led to his arrest.
I”m so relieved that this scum was arrested. But I was upset to be on the #75 bus, and a youngish drunk male boards the bus, and gets RIGHT IN THE YOUNG DRIVER’S FACE, yelling about how the bus was an hour late. (It wasn’t.) That people can treat transit operators like this! What has happened to Seattle. He was a very nice bus driver, too.
Hope the justice system don’t let him out on the streets like they did when he killed his roommate or people my want street justice. Glad he’s off the streets great work drivers. Police lacked releasing the picture to the public soon enough they put us at risk.
Remarkable teamwork. Thank you, everyone.
Thank you to all the operators who work each day to get us safely to our destinations and to the observant ones who helped apprehend the suspect. Condolences to all.