SEATTLE, WA – A Seattle man has come forward to share his harrowing experience of being violently attacked on a King County Metro Bus, claiming that the assault was racially motivated. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the incident as a brutal encounter that left both physical and emotional scars.
The attack occurred on Sunday, September 29, in the First Hill neighborhood, shortly after he boarded the bus near James Street and 8th Avenue. According to the victim, he had barely settled in when another passenger began hurling racist insults before launching a physical assault. “I don’t even have time to put away my card or phone, and all of a sudden, this homeless person starts attacking,” he recounted. “They were body slamming me, punching, hitting me, scratching. It was just this nonstop onslaught for what honestly felt like an eternity.”
Despite his cries for help, the victim reported that few people were on the bus to assist him, aside from another passenger who appeared reluctant to intervene and a driver who seemed indifferent to the situation.
The man, who identifies as Asian-American, expressed his distress over the racial elements of the attack. “The racial element to this really struck a chord with me. In the 20+ years of my life, I’ve never heard such violent language,” he said. “They started coming at me and screaming really insanely racist stuff at me.”
This attack comes amid rising concerns about safety for Asian Americans in Seattle. A recent study indicated that nearly two in five Asian Americans surveyed reported experiencing anti-Asian incidents in the past year, with 20% having been physically attacked. The victim of this assault believes his experience is not an isolated case. “Honestly, it’s probably the case my story is not a unique one,” he noted.
Reflecting on the violence he faced, the man expressed concern for others who may not be as resilient as he is. “If I had been someone more vulnerable than a guy in my 20s, they may not have survived the brutal beating,” he said, adding that his attacker even bit him, leaving visible wounds.
In response to growing safety concerns, King County Metro has taken steps to enhance passenger security. Over the past two years, the agency has doubled its Transit Security Officers to 160, with officers reportedly conducting 10,000 monthly boardings as of November 2023. Additionally, Metro has partnered with King County’s Department of Community & Human Services to deploy behavioral health specialists to support passengers.
