Seattle Honors Slain Metro Driver Shawn Yim with Procession, Memorial

SEATTLE — A procession for Shawn Yim, a King County Metro bus driver killed in a confrontation with a passenger, was held Friday in Seattle, drawing hundreds of mourners and transit workers from across the region. Yim, who had driven for Metro since 2015, was fatally stabbed on Dec. 18 after an argument over an open bus window escalated into violence.

The procession began at 10 a.m., with 80 buses from King County Metro and other transit agencies participating. Buses from as far as Vancouver, B.C., and Spokane joined the tribute. The lead bus displayed Yim’s name and Metro ID number, while colleagues and community members lined the route to pay their respects.

Yim, a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union 587, was remembered as a kind and dedicated driver. “A brother has been murdered on the job,” said a bus operator from Vancouver, Wash., who attended the service. “No transit operator should have to worry about losing their life driving a bus.”

The procession traveled through downtown Seattle, passing landmarks like Seattle Center before concluding at WAMU Theater in the Lumen Field Events Center, where a memorial service was held. Attendees shared stories of Yim’s kindness, including a rider who recalled how he once returned her lost wallet personally.

Yim’s death has sparked calls for increased safety measures for transit workers. Richard Sitzlack, the passenger accused of killing Yim, was arrested on Dec. 21 and charged with murder. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Sitzlack pepper-spraying Yim before stabbing him 10 times in a nearby parking lot.

In response to the tragedy, King County Metro has announced plans to enhance driver safety, including redesigning bus operator compartments and hiring additional transit security officers. The agency is also testing new bus designs with reinforced partitions and cockpit-style doors.

Yim’s death has left a profound impact on the community. Former classmates from Foster High School, where Yim graduated in 1984, remembered him as a kind and well-liked student. “We, the class of ’84, loved Shawn,” one classmate wrote on a Facebook page for alumni. “Not sure what else to say.”