Bus hijacking in L.A. leaves passenger dead, suspect in custody

An overnight Los Angeles bus hijacking ended with a suspect in custody and one bus passenger dead of gunshot wounds in the early morning hours Wednesday. The hijacker allegedly shot the passenger, who died at a hospital.

Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Donald Graham said police chased the hijacked bus for about an hour, stopping it with tire-puncturing spike strips as a SWAT team took an armed suspect into custody and rescued the bus driver and a passenger.

Graham told reporters the metro bus driver pushed a panic button in the bus, alerting police.

Metro Transportation Authority spokesman Jose Ubaldo said, “Metro is grateful for the LAPD’s swift action regarding this morning’s bus hijacking incident and is grateful the operator was unharmed. Metro is providing the operator with the support he needs. This is still an active investigation being led by the LAPD.”

According to police, the bus was hijacked at approximately 12:45 a.m. local time near Manchester Street and Figueroa Street in southern Los Angeles.

Responding police tried to establish contact with people on the hijacked bus, but it pulled away, leading police on a chase.

The bus stopped at Alameda and 6th Street near Skid Row at about 2:10 a.m.

The hijacking suspect surrendered right away, but police found the passenger with multiple gunshot wounds.

Another Los Angeles bus was hijacked by a gunman about six months ago in downtown Los Angeles. It hit cars and slammed into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, injuring the bus driver and a woman passenger.

Police discovered the weapon used in that hijacking was actually a BB gun.