Seattle police arrest homeless man in connection with fatal stabbing of Metro bus driver

SEATTLE, WA - Seattle Police have made an arrest in the fatal Wednesday stabbing of Metro bus driver Shawn Yim, 59. According to KOMO News, a homeless man, Richard Sitzlack, 53, was apprehended Saturday when a King County Metro driver found him asleep on a bus and hailed officers for help.

The responding officers found Sitzlack still sleeping and called for additional officers to respond, arresting the man just before 5:00 a.m.

Court documents from King County revealed by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI showed that video footage and nearby surveillance captured the confrontation which ended in the murder of the bus driver. The footage showed Sitzlack allegedly boarding the bus Wednesday wearing “a dark colored coat, with a dark colored hooded sweatshirt underneath, camouflage cargo pants, dark sneakers with white soles, a black knit skull hat, a backpack, dark colored earbuds with a cord, glasses, and a bright yellow Seattle Sounders rain poncho,” according to The Post Millennial.

Yim was reportedly engaged by Sitzlack, who began to yell at the driver and argue about closing a window on the bus. The driver told the man that the windows must remain partly open to prevent fogging. He then re-opened the window with Yim yelling at the driver, complaining about the cold and “speaking disparagingly about him.”



At this point per the record, Yim allegedly told Sitzlack that he wouldn’t drive him any further and would need to step off the bus. The situation escalated at 2:53 am when the suspect advanced toward Yim and attacked him with pepper spray before leaving the bus. Yim then appeared to stagger from the bus after the suspect as Sitzlack continued to spray him with pepper spray at point-blank range.

The footage then shows the assailant rearing back and delivering a series of brutal kicks to the driver as he collapses to the ground, striking him in the groin and abdomen repeatedly as both stumble out of frame.

Surveillance video from a nearby bar and a Wells Fargo Bank showed a continuing altercation between the men with Sitzlack continuing to attack Yim, knocking the stricken man to the ground before fleeing the scene. A witness would find Yim bleeding on the ground before officers responded to a 911 call from another bus passenger.

A knife sheath was found nearby, and a bloodied knife was located by police in a garbage can not far away.

Sitzlack was arrested Saturday, but according to Post Millennial has not yet been charged with murder as investigators have been unable to rule out self-defense. The case reportedly remains open and the suspect remains in custody. The outlet reported that Sitzlack has prior convictions for assault and unlawful use of a weapon to intimidate.
 
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