Suspect arrested for shootings on Interstate 5 in Washington

A suspect has been apprehended following a series of shootings that injured six people along Interstate 5 in the Seattle and Tacoma regions of Washington state. Officials expressed outrage over the random nature of the attacks on highway drivers.

One of Monday night’s victims is in critical condition, disclosed Capt. Ron Mead of the Washington State Patrol during a Tuesday afternoon briefing.

“These individuals did nothing to deserve this,” Mead stated.

Law enforcement in Pierce County located the suspect’s white Volvo, leading to the arrest. The suspect complied during the arrest, which was captured on a deputy’s bodycam, according to the Pierce County sheriff’s office.

After a hospital evaluation, the suspect was transferred to King County jail and charged with first-degree assault, stated state patrol communications director Chris Loftis. The investigation continues, with no comments on the suspect’s motive or mental condition.

Authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been contacted for more details.

Victims identified the suspect’s vehicle in four of the six incidents. Three shootings occurred northbound on Interstate 5 near Seattle, while the other three were southbound, including one in Pierce County.

Five individuals were struck by gunfire, and another sustained injuries from shattered glass, according to Loftis.

Two women, hurt in separate shootings, were treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. One is in intensive care, and the other is in serious condition, hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg confirmed. Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kaila Lafferty mentioned that one victim is 20 years old.

A person who drove to Portland realised their vehicle had been shot when they got home and contacted the state patrol. No injuries were reported in that case, but they planned to return to Seattle to speak with investigators, Loftis added.

Mead highlighted the broader implications, stating, “this is an attack on our society, creating unacceptable fear in our transportation system.”

The shootings come amid a rise in gun-related incidents on King County roadways, which includes Seattle. Between February 2023 and February 2024, there were 577 reports of roadway crimes involving firearms, a 70% increase from March 2019 to March 2020, as reported by CNN affiliate KING5, citing Washington State Patrol data.

At Tuesday’s news conference, officials referenced six freeway shootings in December but indicated no evidence currently links the suspect to those or other incidents.

Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department outlined that authorities tracked the suspect to a Tacoma apartment complex. Officers deployed stop sticks to disable the vehicle after the suspect left the complex.

Body camera footage showed the suspect following orders to walk backward with hands raised and lie on the ground. While being handcuffed, the suspect twice stated, “I’m not resisting.”

Traffic on southbound Interstate 5 near 320th Street in Federal Way was briefly halted as troopers searched for evidence, according to the state patrol.