Passenger dead after gunman hijacks city bus in LA, forces driver into traffic at gunpoint

A passenger was killed after a gunman hijacked a city bus in Los Angeles early Wednesday, prompting police on a short chase through the city before the suspect was arrested, authorities said.

An armed man boarded a Metro bus along with the driver and two passengers shortly before 1 a.m. PT in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The department described it as a kidnapping situation.

The police approached the bus as it rolled slowly, the police chased as the driver was driving with a gun pointed at him for the next hour. It does not appear that the suspect had been driving, said the police.

The police planted spike strips and punctured one of the tires. After traveling more than 11 kilometers, the bus finally stopped at an intersection in the city, and the suspect surrendered, officials said.

The bus driver was seen on TV news climbing out of the bus window.

A man was found inside the bus with gunshot wounds, but the details that led to the shooting were not yet available. The deceased was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, reports ABC 7.

The bus driver receives support

The second passenger was not injured.

In a statement, Metro said the bus driver is fine and receiving the support he needs. The police commended the driver for his silence.

“The driver continued to drive the bus in a safe manner under the circumstances, the police followed him an hour before the operation began,” Deputy Chief Donald Graham told reporters at the scene.

The killing is the latest in a series of violent incidents on the Los Angeles transit system. In May, Mayor Karen Bass called for increased security on bus and train routes.