A Metro bus driver was attacked on the job Monday morning, the latest in a series of violent incidents.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded around 9:45 a.m. to North Spring Street and West Temple in downtown Los Angeles where a fight occurred between the driver and a passenger.
The bus driver reportedly recognized the possibly homeless attacker from previous incidents and tried to prevent her from entering the bus by closing the doors, the LAPD said.
The driver and suspect got into an argument, which then escalated when the suspect ripped the driver’s glasses off her face, police said. The suspect ran away and the driver chased her to get her glasses, leading to a second fight. According to police, the suspect scratched the driver in the face and fled the scene.
Police said the driver got her glasses back, but they were broken. The suspect is a woman, possibly homeless, probably in her thirties.
Following the incident, Metro said they are accelerating work to prevent crime on the system.
“Metro is angry that once again a member of our community has chosen to attack one of our essential bus operators. Our employees deserve a safe workplace and our customers deserve a safe ride…,” the agency wrote.
Earlier this month, Mayor Karen Bass, who is also Metro’s board chair, said announced an “immediate surge” of law enforcement staff patrolling the transit system following a recent spike in violence.
Metro has responded to the wave of attacks and incidents, by approving the installation of plexiglass barriers for approximately 2,000 buses. The barriers are expected to be installed by the end of 2024.
Other approved security measures include increasing security cameras and the use of technology including facial recognition.
The agency could also explore ways to ban problematic individuals from Metro altogether.
