Authorities say that one passenger has died after a Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus was taken over and the driver was forced to run from police while being threatened with a gun before they were able to capture the suspect.
According to Deputy Chief Donald Graham during a briefing on Wednesday morning, the incident started at around 12:45 a.m. when the Los Angeles Police Department received radio calls regarding a disturbance on a bus in the vicinity of Manchester Street and Figueroa Street in southern Los Angeles.
Before authorities realized the bus had halted at 117th Street and Figueroa Street, initial indications suggested there may have been a possible weapon-based assault.
But the bus began to move away from the responding police when the LAPD attempted to speak with the passengers. According to officials, the incident sparked an hour-long chase into the downtown area.
near about 2:10 a.m., the bus finally came to a stop near Alameda Street and 6th Street after police used several spike strips and managed to puncture a tire on the right side of the bus.
The driver and the suspect were the only people on the bus, according to the police.
According to Graham, a SWAT squad was dispatched right away to help with the hostage issue. They managed to board the bus and free the driver and a passenger.
The culprit turned himself in right away and was taken into arrest. Nevertheless, the second passenger was discovered to have several gunshot wounds when police were removing the bus.
After being brought to a nearby hospital, the victim passed away from his wounds. Authorities reported that the other passenger and the driver refused medical attention.
The inquiry is still open and ongoing at this time.
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“My thoughts are with the loved ones of the individual who was tragically killed early this morning,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated. “Every Angeleno has the right to go about their lives safely — especially on our public transportation systems and I will be urgently working with the members of the Metro Board as well as our Chair and Metro CEO to enhance the safety strategies that we implemented earlier this year.”
“What happened this morning was completely unacceptable and has no place in Los Angeles,” Bass continued. “I want to thank the bus operator involved for their courageous and swift response as well as LAPD officers for their work to apprehend the suspect. While the investigation is still ongoing, I want to be very clear that those involved must be held fully accountable to the rule of law.”
Via: abcnews.go.com
