Man shot, killed by Federal Way police after allegedly trying to steal transit bus

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Police shot and killed a man they say tried to steal a bus Sunday night in Federal Way.

Police say the man was armed with a knife when officers shot him at the Federal Way Transit Center on 23rd Avenue South.

There have been two deadly confrontations at the Federal Way Transit Center before, in 2008 and 2009, involving passengers on the bus.

So hardly anyone was surprised that there was deadly violence here again Sunday night involving Federal Way police.

Police say the incident began at about 11 p.m. Sunday, with a passenger who refused to get off a bus at the Federal Way Transit Center.

He then tried to start the bus and drive away. The officers who arrived say he lunged at them with a knife. and they opened fire.

“We came in at 11, about midnight,” said Ron Smith of Auburn, who was caught in the shooting’s aftermath.

“It took us about a half an hour, 45 minutes to get our vehicle,” said Smith.

When asked if he worries about shootings there, Smith said, “Oh, it’s been terrible.”

“I’m not surprised,” said Todd Daniel of Des Moines, Iowa. He wasn’t here Sunday night, but he says he is a regular bus rider.

“People fighting, doing drugs,” Daniel said. “So, that’s why the police follow the bus, because they (are) doing drugs on the bus. Kids (are) on the bus. You know, they don’t have no respect.”

Sunday night’s shooting was at least the third shooting death here in more than a dozen years. A woman was shot and killed here in January of 2008. Eighteen months later, a 19-year-old man was killed during an altercation. The assailants in both cases were caught and convicted.

This latest shooting is being investigated by the Valley Independent Investigation Team. All of it is a painful reminder to this Tai Rutledge. She says her cousin was experiencing a mental health episode when officers shot him recently at the Renton Transit Center last April.

“The police, honestly, need to be trained better to handle situations like that, you know what I mean,” said Rutledge. “Because at the end of the day, taking somebody’s life should be the last thing that you do.”

She says her cousin survived, but has to learn to walk again.

KIRO 7 is still waiting to get more information on Monday night’s shooting. The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave, which is standard.

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