On May 19th at approximately 1:06 p.m. officers responded to a shots fired call aboard a Metro bus downtown. Preliminary investigation indicates that a Metro bus was traveling southbound in the 1200 block of 3rd Avenue in the right lane. Witnesses heard what they correctly believed to be a gunshot emanate from the back area of the bus. The bus stopped at the northwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Seneca Street. The 24-year-old male suspect (who is believed to have negligently discharged a handgun on the bus) and his adult female companion exited the bus through the rear doors and headed into the nearby bus tunnel.
King County Transit Police deputies were on the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Seneca Street as the bus was pulling up to the corner and heard the gunshot. The deputies followed the suspect into the bus tunnel and arrested him (the suspect’s female companion was detained, interviewed and subsequently released). The arresting officers recovered a handgun from the suspect. Investigating officers also recovered the fired bullet, which was located on the floor of the bus. The gun and the bullet were placed into evidence.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the bullet negligently discharged on the bus by the suspect passed through a barrier near the rear doors, struck the rear door windows and possibly ricocheted forward from the suspect’s location. An adult female passenger who was sitting in a seat approximately five feet in front of the suspect sustained a superficial wound to her lower right calf.
SFD medics responded and treated and released the female victim at the scene. She did not require transport and declined further medical attention. It is unknown whether the victim was grazed by the bullet or flying debris from the gunshot. There were no other injuries as a result of the stray round.
The suspect was interviewed and subsequently booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Possession of Stolen Property (the handgun), Investigation of Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, and on a Department of Corrections detainer (the first two listed charges are both felonies).
Seattle Police Gang Unit detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.