A tragic shooting on an Oakland-bound Greyhound Bus has left one person dead and five more wounded. The bus, which left from Los Angeles, was traveling on Interstate 5 around 1:30 AM when police received calls from passengers on the bus. What followed was both tragic and unusual at once.
While the bus was moving down the highway, the unidentified assailant produced a black handgun and opened fire into the bus.
The gunman aimed at the 40 passengers, fatally striking one and injuring five others. Passengers ducked for cover and called the police while the driver pulled to the side of the highway.
According to the driver, they were able to persuade the gunman to step off of the bus. They also managed to convince him to leave the handgun behind.
The driver then left the assailant on the shoulder of the highway and parked at a nearby gas station.
When police caught up to the Greyhound, they were surprised the situation had unfolded in the way it did. The body of the person killed by the shooter was still on the bus when police arrived, and first responders tended to the passengers’ injuries. One victim, who was in critical condition, was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
After being told what happened, police were able to go back down the highway and find the shooter on the shoulder. Police picked the shooter up “without incident,” according to official reports, and took them into custody.
Police commented on the bus driver’s quick wit and noted that they “handled the situation professionally and appropriately to minimize any more possible victims.”
Sgt. Brian Pennings, who spoke to reporters Monday morning, noted how strange the situation was. “I’ve been on 25 years; I’ve never seen this happen.”
