'Spasms of violence': Mass shootings on I-5 in Seattle lead to injuries before arrest

Washington State Patrol is investigating a series of shootings that occurred overnight along Interstate 5, a major highway along the Pacific Coast, leaving multiple people injured.

One suspect is in custody following a string of at least seven shootings, which began Monday night along the north-south interstate in the Seattle and Tacoma areas of Washington, according to the patrol.

Patrol officials described the shootings as two, "spasms of violence" in a Tuesday press conference. The first series of shootings occurred between 8:28 and 8:43 p.m. local time Monday night on the northbound side of the freeway and the second occurring just before 11 p.m.

Both "spasms" saw three vehicles shot at with two people hospitalized, one critically, in the earlier attack and two people hospitalized in the later attack.

A person traveling southbound to Portland came forward as a target of the suspect Tuesday and was returning to Washington to provide investigators information.

The shootings took place across an approximately 20-mile stretch of the interstate that included King and Pierce counties.

Chris Loftis, director of communications for the Patrol, said at the press conference that the incident met the definition of a mass shooting.

Multiple people hospitalized in Interstate 5 shootings

Investigators learned of the shootings when a victim from the first "spasm" was driven to a fire station in Seattle after being shot at 8:26 p.m. near Interstate 5 and State Route 18 Monday evening, according to Patrol officials.

The victim, who police described as a 20-year-old woman, was taken to Harborview Medical Center where she remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon, according to Patrol officials.

A second victim, injured in the second "spasm" of shootings, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the neck, officials said in the press conference.

Multiple victims reported being shot at by a white Volvo, Loftis said.

Others who were injured had received treatment and were released by Tuesday afternoon.

Traffic on southbound I-5 was stopped briefly while troopers looked for evidence, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Suspect arrested south of Seattle

A multi-agency search led law enforcement to eventually locate the suspect vehicle and make an arrest, Johnson shared on X.

The suspected shooter was taken into custody after police in Pierce County located the vehicle, Johnson told CNN.

No additional details were immediately available.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seattle I-5 mass shootings leave 3 hospitalized, suspect in custody