Witnesses and authorities say a Metro bus driver’s heroic actions might have saved lives. Jonathan Gonzalez reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 25, 2024.
What to Know
- An armed hijacker shot and killed a passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles.
- The hijacking led to an hour-long chase with the armed man on board.
- The driver, a long-time employee of the transit agency, activated an alarm during the hijacking.
The driver of a Metro bus hijacked by an armed man who shot and killed a passenger Wednesday morning remained calm during a tense hour-long chase in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said at an afternoon news conference.
The driver, identified only as a long-time employee of the transit agency, activated an alarm after the gunman boarded the bus with the driver and at least two passengers aboard at about 1 a.m. at South Figueroa Street and Imperial Highway. The man demanded that the driver continue driving on downtown LA streets in what turned into an hour-long police pursuit.
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"I want to recognize that Metro bus driver whose actions last night were nothing short of heroic," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "With a gunman on board and his life on the line, he had the composure and the wherewithal to push the silent alarm, alerting both the Metro Operations Center and law enforcement, and ultimately getting help for both him and his passengers. He was incredibly brave, driving the bus safely for an hour.
"I know all of us are grateful for his courage and quick thinking in the middle of the night."
Mayor Karen Bass said several 911 calls were placed about the hijacking after the driver operated an electric sign on the bus that reads," Emergency Call 911."
Hahn said the bus was equipped with a safety barrier designed to prevent a hijacker from approaching the driver and taking control of the bus. The driver has been with the agency for more than a decade, she said.
At some point, the gunman shot and killed a passenger on the bus. That individual later died at a hospital. Details about what led to the shooting were not available Wednesday afternoon.
SWAT officers were called to an area near Skid Row when the bus briefly stopped after police deployed spike strips on the road, destroying some of the tires.
"The bus driver looked very scared for his life, but I can say he held a very good composure," said witness Steven Johnson. "He was able to get that bus to where it is at a safely manner and drive, even with them popping the tires."
During the standoff, officers surrounded the bus and shot bean bags and stun grenades at the gunman as they tried to rescue the driver and an injured passenger. The passenger who suffered multiple gunshot wounds was found dead on the bus.
The driver and a second passenger who hid on the bus were treated by paramedics at the scene and released. In a statement, Metro said the bus driver was OK and receiving the support he needs.
“This operator continued to operate the bus in as safe a manner as he could under the circumstances, with the police trailing him for an hour before the spike strips finally took effect,” Deputy Chief Donald Graham told reporters.
A 51-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the hijacking and fatal shooting. He was being held on $2 million bond. Details about a motive were not immediately available.
The deadly hijacking comes about six months after another Metro bus was commandeered by an armed man in downtown Los Angeles. That bus collided with cars and eventually slammed into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The bus driver and a woman in a car struck by the bus were injured.
Authorities later learned the man was armed with a BB gun.
