Cars on the highway are randomly shot at and at least six injured before the suspect is arrested

SEATTLE (AP) – At least seven vehicles traveling on Interstate 5 south of Seattle were hit by gunfire overnight, injuring at least six people before a suspect was taken into custody, officials said Tuesday.

State police have not released any information about the suspect in the shooting that left two people in critical condition and said they would not speculate about his motive. Once they complete their investigation, the case will be turned over to the district attorney.

The Washington State Patrol has been involved in 37 ongoing highway shooting investigations in King County, which includes Seattle, since the beginning of the year, similar to the previous two years, Captain Ron Mead said during a news conference. Statewide, there were 57 shootings in 2024, he said.

The latest shooting began at 8:26 p.m. Monday on northbound Interstate 5, said Chris Loftis, a State Patrol spokesman. Someone in a white Volvo fired several shots, hitting a driver and a passenger in a nearby car, he said. The female passenger was hospitalized in critical condition, he said.

About 15 minutes later, another car was struck further north on I-5 and the passenger was injured by broken glass, Loftis said. A minute later, another person reported being shot by an unknown vehicle, he said. The person was taken to the hospital with a leg injury.

Three hours later, three more cars were struck on southbound I-5 in Pierce County, Loftis said. A passenger in one car was injured in the legs, while another victim was hit in the neck and hospitalized, he said.

The driver of the seventh vehicle struck did not realize the robbery until he arrived in Portland, Oregon, and heard about the shooting on the news, Loftis said. The victim plans to return to Washington to help with the investigation, he said.

Although not all of the victims could see which direction the shots came from, police believe the timing and location of the shots lead them to believe the person in the Volvo was responsible for all of the shootings.

“One shooting on the highway is one too many,” Mead said. “When seven are committed by one person in a short period of time, it only undermines people’s confidence in our transportation system, which they should feel safe using.”

Shortly after the last shooting, an officer saw a white Volvo drive into an apartment complex in Fircrest, a city about 60 kilometers south of Seattle. The car fled, but officers were able to stop it and arrest the suspect.

Mead and Loftis said they had no motive and did not want to speculate about why he was shooting at random vehicles on the highway.

“The fact that someone would seek to harm others and cause chaos while they’re just driving down the highway trying to get somewhere is hopefully unacceptable,” Mead said. We can all agree on that.

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