The manhunt for the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a King County Metro bus driver ended this last Saturday morning with an arrest by Seattle Police. Richard Sitzlack was caught while riding the E line after a Metro Coach driver alerted authorities that he was onboard and appeared to be asleep, according to KOMO News.
Anthony "A.J." Ross a King County Metro bus operator on the RapidRide E Line, initially spotted Sitzlack last Saturday, believing the passenger matched the descriptive photos provided by the police. Ross observed the man changing into shoes consistent with those described by authorities and immediately contacted the King County Sheriff’s Office. KIRO 7 reports, that Ross provided an updated description that helped law enforcement pinpoint which southbound bus the suspect had transferred to.
Continuing the collaborative effort, bus operator Timmothy Nelson confirmed the presence of the suspect on his southbound vehicle, after receiving a call from the Transit Control Center to be on the lookout. Nelson flagged down police officers, who boarded the bus at Third Avenue and Main Street in downtown Seattle and proceeded to arrest Sitzlack.
After the incident, bus drivers reflected on the loss of their colleague. "I know he cared about people, he cared about his family, he cared about his coworkers, and was just nice all around whatever happened it doesn’t make any sense for it to happen to him," Nelson told MyNorthwest. Documents show that upon his arrest, Sitzlack acknowledged the altercation with the bus driver and requested an attorney.
