A Metro bus passenger who was shot in a bus hijacking in downtown Los Angeles early Wednesday morning has died. The suspect has been arrested.
Police officers applaud the bus driver’s actions. He was held at gunpoint for more than an hour, while the warning signs “Emergency” and “911, call police” appeared to flash on the bus’s headlights. The suspect ordered him to drive, after which the police slowly chased him.
The incident occurred around 12:45 a.m. at Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue when the suspect boarded the bus and got into an argument with the driver. Several passengers got off the bus. The suspect then held the driver at gunpoint and at times ordered him to drive the wrong way.
According to police investigators, there were two other passengers on the bus. It is believed that the passenger who died from his injuries was shot at the beginning of the incident.
The driver pressed the panic button, alerted the police and the emergency messages appeared on the light.
Police repeatedly threw spike plates at the bus during the chase, causing it to eventually slow down and stop near Sixth and Alameda streets. The two hostages and the driver were still on board.
The suspect barricaded himself inside the bus, prompting SWAT officers to fire bean bags and stun grenades, eventually taking the suspect into custody. The other passenger and the bus driver were not physically injured, police said.
“Metro is grateful for the quick action taken by the LAPD in this morning’s bus hijacking incident and is thankful that the driver was unharmed. Metro is providing the driver with the support he needs,” Metro said in a statement.
