At least 7 cars hit and 6 people injured in random gunfire on Interstate 5 near Seattle

At least seven vehicles traveling along Interstate 5 just south of Seattle were hit by gunfire overnight, leaving at least six people injured before a suspect was taken into custody, officials said Tuesday.

The state patrol did not release any information on the suspect in the shooting that left two people in critical condition and said they would not speculate on his motive. Once they complete their investigation, the case will be turned over to the prosecuting attorney.

The Washington State Patrol has been involved in 37 active investigations into highway shootings in King County, which includes Seattle, since the start of the year, which is similar to the previous two years, Capt. Ron Mead said during a press conference. Statewide, there have been 57 in 2024, he said.

The latest gunfire started at 8:26 p.m. Monday on northbound Interstate 5, said Chris Loftis, a state patrol spokesperson. Someone in a white Volvo fired several rounds, striking a driver and passenger in a nearby car, he said. The female passenger was hospitalized in critical condition, he said.

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

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

The person driving the seventh vehicle believed to be part of the shooting spree did not immediately realize they had been struck until they arrived in Portland, Oregon, and heard about the shootings on the news, Loftis said. That victim plans to return to Washington to help with the investigation, he said.

Although not all of the victims saw where the gunfire came from, police believe the person in the Volvo was responsible for all of the shootings due to the timing and location of the gunfire.

“Having one freeway shooting is one to many,” Mead said. “Having seven perpetrated by one individual over a short period of time only causes a lessening of people’s trust in our transportation system, which they should feel safe in, in using.”

Soon after the final shooting, an officer saw a white Volvo pull into an apartment complex in Fircrest, a town about 37 miles (60 kilometers) south of Seattle. The car fled, officers were able to stop it and the suspect was taken into custody.

Mead and Loftis said they did not have a motive and would not speculate on why he fired on random vehicles on the freeway.

“The fact that somebody intent on creating harm and mayhem to others that are merely driving down the freeway trying to get someplace I think we can all agree, hopefully is unacceptable,” Mead said.