Memorial for slain bus driver will be January 10

All are invited to honor the life of Brother Shawn Yim, ATU member and King County Metro Bus Driver

SEATTLE, WA (January 7, 2025) — Labor and community will gather Friday, January 10, for a memorial for Shawn Yim, who was killed in the line of duty on December 18 while driving a bus for King County Metro. The memorial will be held  from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the WAMU Theater at the Lumen Field Event Center. All are welcome.

Yim was working an overnight shift driving his bus in the early hours of December 18 when he was stabbed and killed. In the wake of his tragic death, remembrances have poured out honoring Yim as a beloved driver, community member and union brother.

Amid grief, the union representing King County Metro Drivers, ATU Local 587, is calling on Metro and elected officials to provide stronger safety measures for transit workers and riders. Tragically, the violence that took Yim’s life is not rare. Per the union, there has been an uptick in violence and attacks on workers and riders, leading ATU to push King County Metro to improve safety on buses including better bus driver shields, more transit police, and other safety measures.

In a statement immediately following the killing, ATU Local 587 President/Business Agent Greg Woodfill called on King County Metro to take action to protect drivers: “Shawn’s tragic murder in the line of duty is unacceptable. Our bus drivers deserve to be able to go to work and come home safely each day. It is long overdue for King County Metro to make real changes to ensure our members and riders are safe on our buses, at bus stops and at transit centers.”