Transit workers call for safety improvements after fatal stabbing of Metro driver

Around 3:00am today, a King County Metro driver was fatally stabbed near the 4100 block of University Way in Seattle’s U-District.

At a press conference this morning, King County Executive Dow Constantine said that the loss is being felt by everyone in county transit. 

"We are not always able to keep what's happening out on the streets away from the transit that operates on those streets," said Constantine. "We are doing everything that we can, and will continue to ramp up our efforts, to make sure that transit is safe for everyone. Including, especially, for our brave operators who are out on the streets every day."

Greg Woodfill is the local president of the Amalgamated Transit Union #587. He said he’d like to see more regional resources dedicated to transit safety. 

"I don't have all the answers. This is a difficult, societal problem. What I know is that we're not doing enough," said Woodfill. "This is bigger than Metro, this is bigger than Seattle, this is the whole community that we serve." 

The attack comes just a couple days after Metro cut service to a cluster of stops around 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street in the Chinatown International District because of ongoing “safety concerns.”

For the latest, Soundside was joined by KUOW reporter Ann Dornfeld, who attended a press conference with transit and public officials in Tukwila this morning. 

Guests:

• Ann Dornfeld, reporter on the KUOW investigations team. 

Related links: 

• KUOW - King County Metro bus driver killed in fatal U District stabbing
• King County Metro cites safety in closing Little Saigon bus stops | The Seattle Times

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