LOS ANGELES, CA – A deadly hijacking and prolonged police chase involving a Metro bus unfolded in Los Angeles early Wednesday morning. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident began around 1 a.m. on Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue in South Los Angeles. An armed suspect commandeered a Line 81 bus with a driver and two passengers on board, turning it into a kidnapping situation.
Police officers first spotted the bus at 117th and Figueroa streets, but as they approached, the vehicle slowly rolled away. The driver, under duress, continued operating the bus while the suspect held him at gunpoint.
For an hour, the authorities pursued the bus through the city. Despite the high tension, the suspect never took control of the steering. Officers eventually managed to deploy spike strips, which successfully punctured the right tire of the bus.
The chase concluded when the bus came to a stop at 6th and Alameda streets in downtown Los Angeles. The suspect surrendered, and the driver climbed out of the bus through the window.
Inside the bus, officers discovered a man with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim of the shooting was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment but was ultimately pronounced dead. The second passenger escaped unharmed.
Metro officials confirmed that the bus driver was uninjured and that support is being provided to him. The LAPD commended the driver’s composed response during the crisis.
“This operator continued to operate the bus in as safe a manner as he could under the circumstances,” said Deputy Chief Donald Graham of the LAPD’s Transit Services Division.