Van Jumps Curb In Downtown Seattle, 6 Injured

SEATTLE, WA - A Shuttle Express van jumped a curb and crashed into a Gap store in downtown Seattle Thursday afternoon leaving at least six people injured. The crash happened just before noon at the intersection of Pine Street and 5th Avenue in Seattle's main shopping district.

Seattle police traffic detectives shut down the blocks around the scene of the crash to investigate, but police are saying the incident is not an act of terror. Assistant Police Chief Marc Garth Green said the van did not accelerate before the crash. The van driver may have experienced a medical issue prior to the crash, police said.

Four people total were taken to Harborview Medical Center. The injuries ranged from minor to serious. Around 2:30 p.m., Harborview gave an update on the patient conditions:

• Man in his 30s in critical condition undergoing surgery
• Man, 52, in satisfactory condition
• Two women, 28 and 39, in satisfactory condition

Shuttle Express vans are a common sight in the downtown area. The vans typically ferry travelers to Seattle hotels and Sea-Tac airport.

In the U.S. and Europe, terrorists have used vehicles to kill groups of people. On Halloween, eight people died in New York City when a suspect crashed into a bike path in lower Manhattan. In August, a 20-year-old man drove a Dodge Charger into a crowd of anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Va., killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

Image courtesy Seattle fire