Passenger killed in hijacking, pursuit of MTA bus in Los Angeles

One person was fatally shot when an MTA bus was hijacked with passengers on board and then pursued by police from South Los Angeles to downtown L.A. early Wednesday morning.

Officers began to receive radio calls for a potential assault with a deadly weapon on a bus near South Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood of South Los Angeles around 12:45 a.m., a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said during a news conference.

The bus driver activated a “CALL 911” sign after the suspect was said to have pulled out a gun and began pointing it.

Dispatched officers found the bus stopped and flashing the “CALL 911” sign near West 117th Street and South Figueroa Street but it began to move when officers got close, prompting a pursuit, the spokesperson said.

Officers deployed spike strips, which flattened the tires of the bus and the pursuit came to an end at East 6th Street and South Alameda Street in downtown Los Angeles.

SWAT officers had also joined in the pursuit with the understanding that it was a potential hostage situation, the spokesperson said.

Once the bus came to a stop, flash-bang devices were deployed during a standoff with the suspect.

The spokesperson said SWAT officers rescued two people, the bus driver and one passenger, from the bus. Video showed the bus driver exiting through a window.

A second passenger had barricaded themself away from the gunman and was also rescued uninjured.

“The third passenger on the bus expired from complications from the gunshot wounds,” the spokesperson said.

The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken into custody.

There was no word on a motive for the incident.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

One person was fatally shot when an MTA bus was hijacked with passengers on board and then pursued by police from South Los Angeles to downtown L.A. early Wednesday morning. Officers began to receive radio calls for a potential assault with a deadly weapon on a bus near South Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue in […]