At around 5:20pm today, a man on a Metro bus at 23rd & Jackson told the driver he had been shot in the back and then wandered away, launching an intense ten minute police and medic response.  When the victim was finally located, he was found to be uninjured and only intoxicated.

Police locked down the Walgreen’s parking lot and searched inside of stores before finding the man to the south near 23rd & S. King St.  

The man boarded the bus at MLK & Rainier, reportedly smelling of urine. He apparently didn’t mention the bogus shooting until he was disembarking the bus at 23rd & Jackson. 

It’s not clear whether he’ll face charges for false reporting, but we’re thinking that would be a good idea. (update: he was not arrested, but was transported to the sobering center at Harborview)

 

Here’s the real-time log of what happened as we heard it:

Here we go again.  We just heard that a man got onto a Metro coach and told the driver he had been shot.  A wound is visible on his back.

Update: The man got off the bus and was reportedly wandering around the Walgreens parking lot.  Police are looking for him.  White male, late 20s, 6′, 170lbs, dark green jacket.  

Update x2: The man reportedly got on the bus at MLK & Rainier and got off at the Walgreens.  Apparently he was shot before he got on the bus.

Update x3: The bus driver did not actually see the wound, that’s only what the man told the driver.  But he was stumbling around as if he had been injured.

Update x4: Got a possible victim at 23rd & King.  Taking metro driver to identify

Update x5: Driver said the victim may be a transient, and had the smell of urine on him

Update x6: They got a positive ID on the victim, found that he was uninjured.  Good grief.