SEATTLE, Wash. — Bus drivers and transportation employees from across Washington, including Spokane, gathered in Seattle on Friday to honor Shawn Yim, a Seattle bus driver who was killed in December during an altercation with a passenger.
A procession of about 100 buses and transit vehicles slowly made its way through downtown Seattle in a tribute similar to memorials held for law enforcement officers and firefighters.
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) was among the agencies that participated.
“We are honored to have been invited to recognize Shawn’s legacy by joining the bus procession at his memorial this afternoon in Seattle,” STA in a Facebook post.
Yim, a longtime bus operator, was fatally attacked during his shift last month. The suspect, Richard Sitzlack, has been charged with second-degree murder and remains in jail on a $5 million bond.
Transit agencies from various regions sent vehicles to the memorial, highlighting the risks faced by public transit workers and the community’s support for those who keep transit systems running.
