AP – A passenger was killed when an armed man hijacked a bus in Los Angeles early Wednesday morning, leading to a police chase before the suspect was arrested, authorities reported.
The armed man boarded the bus around 1:00 a.m. in South Los Angeles, where only the driver and two passengers were present, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police approached the bus as it moved slowly, following it with a convoy of police vehicles while the driver was held at gunpoint for an hour. A lit sign on the front of the bus displayed, "Emergency. 911 Call the police."
The armed man boarded the bus around 1:00 a.m. in South Los Angeles, where only the driver and two passengers were present, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police approached the bus as it moved slowly, following it with a convoy of police vehicles while the driver was held at gunpoint for an hour. A lit sign on the front of the bus displayed, "Emergency. 911 Call the police."
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Police deployed spike strips that punctured one of the tires. After traveling more than seven miles, the bus eventually stopped at an intersection near the city's Arts District, and the suspect surrendered, authorities said.
Television footage showed a series of small explosions around the stopped bus in the neighborhood and warehouses, with police officers breaking in, protected by shields. The bus driver climbed out of a window and took cover behind an armored vehicle while officers boarded the bus.
A man was found shot inside the bus, but authorities have not disclosed what led to the shooting. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.
The driver and the second passenger were treated by paramedics at the scene and were released. In a statement, transportation authorities said the bus driver was doing well and receiving the support he needed.
The agency praised the driver for remaining calm.
"This driver continued to operate the bus in the safest manner possible under the circumstances, with police following for an hour until the spike strips finally took effect," said Deputy Police Commander Donald Graham to reporters at the scene.
The killing is the latest in a string of violent incidents, including stabbings and shootings, on buses and trains, as Los Angeles seeks to expand its transit system ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. In May, Mayor Karen Bass called for increased safety on transit routes.
In March, a man who claimed to be armed hijacked a metropolitan bus in downtown Los Angeles and took the wheel, causing the bus to crash into several vehicles and collide with a hotel.
Police deployed spike strips that punctured one of the tires. After traveling more than seven miles, the bus eventually stopped at an intersection near the city's Arts District, and the suspect surrendered, authorities said.
Television footage showed a series of small explosions around the stopped bus in the neighborhood and warehouses, with police officers breaking in, protected by shields. The bus driver climbed out of a window and took cover behind an armored vehicle while officers boarded the bus.
A man was found shot inside the bus, but authorities have not disclosed what led to the shooting. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.
The driver and the second passenger were treated by paramedics at the scene and were released. In a statement, transportation authorities said the bus driver was doing well and receiving the support he needed.
The agency praised the driver for remaining calm.
"This driver continued to operate the bus in the safest manner possible under the circumstances, with police following for an hour until the spike strips finally took effect," said Deputy Police Commander Donald Graham to reporters at the scene.
The killing is the latest in a string of violent incidents, including stabbings and shootings, on buses and trains, as Los Angeles seeks to expand its transit system ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. In May, Mayor Karen Bass called for increased safety on transit routes.
In March, a man who claimed to be armed hijacked a metropolitan bus in downtown Los Angeles and took the wheel, causing the bus to crash into several vehicles and collide with a hotel.