Eric Stark, A Seattle City Bus Driver, Hailed As Hero After Rush Hour Shooting

A shooting spree took place during rush hour on Wednesday in Seattle, resulting in two deaths and two injuries.

The unnamed 33-year-old shooter started by attempting to car-jack a 57-year-old woman before shooting her, though she survived. He then took aim at a city bus, hitting the driver, Eric Stark, 53, in the chest.

The shooter then shot and killed another driver before taking their car. After the half-mile police chase, the shooter got into a collision with another car that killed its 70-year-old driver. The shooter then had a brief stand-off with police before being pulled from the wreck, taken into custody, and transported to the hospital.

One witness told the local CBS News that “It didn't matter who you were. He was going to shoot you if he saw you.”

Another witness said, “I turned around and left, because he was heading right for me,” and that they “barely got out of there. It was close, real close.”

In the wake of the shooting, Eric Stark is being hailed as a hero for his actions. Despite being shot in the chest during the rampage, Stark continued driving in order to get his 12 passengers to safety.

A Seattle Police Department spokesperson told the press “this bus driver truly is a hero.” The spokesperson continued, saying, “He was able to have the wherewithal to put the bus in reverse, back it up, turn it around, which is no easy feat in and of itself.”

King County Executive Dow Constantine also praised Stark for his quick response, even after being shot. “We are tremendously grateful that his injuries were not more serious. He acted heroically and put the well-being of his passengers above all else,” Constantine told Q13 Fox.