Rantz: Deputies protecting Seattle buses as search underway for murder suspect  

The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) has staffed the Route 70 Metro bus line as they look for the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a bus driver on Dec. 18.

Deputies manning the buses are there to protect both bus drivers and riders while simultaneously searching for the suspect. According to multiple sources with “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH, the suspect is believed to be a middle-aged male and is likely homeless. It’s unclear whether or not the suspect is known to police from previous interactions.

While the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is the lead agency in the investigation, KCSO deputies were monitoring buses on the route that veteran driver Shawn Yim, 59, was manning when he was stabbed in the chest during an altercation with the suspect.

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Police said a passenger got into “a physical altercation” with the bus driver at the intersection of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 41st Street. Patrol officers were dispatched to the scene of the crime just before 3 a.m.

According to a person who claimed to be an eyewitness to the attack, the suspect boarded a Metro bus along Route 70 in Seattle’s U-District. Onboard, the alleged witness said the suspect closed one window on the bus, saying it was too cold. When the suspect told the bus driver to close his window, the witness claimed the driver said he needed the window open to act as a vent to prevent the bus windshield from fogging up.

The witness said the suspect became belligerent, causing the bus driver to pull over and tell the suspect to get off the bus. The witness claimed the suspect then pulled out a small can of pepper spray and sprayed the driver in the face. The driver opened the bus door and stumbled onto the sidewalk. The suspect continued to spray him before taking him into the alley, where he was allegedly stabbed and killed.

More on the incident: Open window allegedly leads to stabbing death of Metro bus driver in Seattle

The Seattle Police Department released a statement late Thursday morning indicating it is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Richard Sitzlack, who is believed to have stabbed a King County Metro bus driver in the University District early Wednesday.

Sitzlack, 53, is with brown eyes and brown hair. He is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds. The SPD said in its statement the suspect was last seen wearing a navy-blue hooded sweatshirt, dark gray/blue jacket, black beanie, yellow backpack, blue camouflage pants and dark sneakers with white soles. He also was carrying a red shopping bag.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contributing: Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest

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