Shuttle van crashes into downtown Seattle building; 6 injured
SEATTLE - A shuttle van plowed down a busy sidewalk Thursday in the heart of Seattle's downtown retail district and crashed into the front of the Gap store, injuring six people.
Officers and medics responded to the scene, at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street, just before noon after receiving multiple reports of pedestrians struck.
Witnesses said the Shuttle Express van was heading south on 5th Avenue when it jumped the curb and struck several people who were walking along the sidewalk there.
"He literally jumped the curb and smacked them," one witness, Amani Wright said. "It was horrible."
He said one of those hit had a child with him.
Assistant Seattle Police Chief Marc Garth-Green said the van driver suffered some kind of medical emergency and lost consciousness before the crash. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center and was reported to be in serious condition.
Officials said five pedestrians on the sidewalk were injured and taken to the hospital. Four victims were hit by the van and one was injured by flying glass from the store window as it was struck and shattered. The victim hit by flying glass was taken to another hospital with minor injuries.
Of the four patients taken to Harborview Medical Center on Thursday, only one remained there Friday morning.
One man, 28, is in serious conditin.
Three other patients, a man and two women, have been discharged.
One passenger was in the shuttle van and was not injured.
Seattle police said the crash was not terrorism-related nor was it intentional.
Southbound lanes on 5th Avenue from Olive Way to Pike Street were blocked Thursday afternoon and have since reopened.
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This is a developing news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
