Transit Alert – Transit service will pause briefly for a moment of reflection & remembrance for transit operator Mark McLaughlin on 11/23

On Friday, November 23, King County Metro will briefly pause bus service at 3:20 PM for a moment of reflection and remembrance to honor the memory of transit operator, Mark McLaughlin, who lost his life in the line of duty on November 27, 1998.

All riders are invited and welcome to join in this moment of reflection.  At the designated time, Metro and Metro-operated Sound Transit buses will pull over only if and where it is safe to do so, to observe this brief moment, and will then continue in service. Some exceptions include buses traveling on highways or freeways and inside the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.  Transit service will quickly resume at the conclusion of the remembrance.

Hundreds of Metro and Sound Transit buses will be in service at that time, and the majority will pull over and stop for a brief moment of reflection in honor of Mr. McLaughlin, who was killed in the line of duty Nov. 27, 1998, while driving Route 359. He was shot and his bus plunged from the Aurora Bridge at 3:20 p.m. One other passenger died, the shooter took his own life and 32 passengers were injured.

Transit riders are also reminded that Metro service will operate its reduced weekday and no UW schedule on Friday.  Most Metro and King County offices will be closed.

Thank you for riding, and for using Metro and Sound Transit services.