A Culver CityBus driver has been shot dead after a dispute with a passenger in Mar Vista, Los Angeles, with police searching for the gunman who fled the scene on Thursday evening.
Officers were called to Centinela Avenue, near Washington Boulevard, at about 5.15pm on October 1 after reports of gunfire and a bus driver being injured. The driver, a man in his 40s, suffered two gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Investigators believe the shooting followed a verbal confrontation over directions. Police said the suspect was a male passenger who left the bus after the attack, removed a bicycle from the rack at the front and escaped, although detectives were still establishing whether he fled on foot or rode away.
The Los Angeles Times reported that police were seeking a white man, while other details about his appearance remained limited. No arrest had been announced and the victim had not been publicly identified pending notification of his family.
Two other passengers were on board but were not injured. They were questioned by detectives, who are also reviewing footage from cameras fitted inside the bus.
The shooting took place within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department, despite the bus being operated by the neighbouring city of Culver City. The case has been assigned to the department’s Robbery-Homicide Division and West Homicide detectives.
An LAPD officer said investigators would continue working through the evidence and witness accounts until the suspect was identified and located.
“We have video we’re going through,” the officer said. “We have witnesses locked down as well. We have a team of investigators out here already. We’re looking at the evidence. We are going to stay on it until we identify and locate the suspect.”
Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza said the city had lost a valued member of its workforce.
“We have lost a deeply valued member of our City family to a senseless act of violence,” he said. “We are grieving the loss of someone who dedicated their time and talents to serving Culver City and who made a meaningful difference through that service every day.”
All Culver CityBus services have been suspended through the weekend while staff are offered counselling and time to mourn.
Mayor Puza said the death would be felt throughout the organisation, adding: “This loss is deeply personal for our Culver CityBus team and will be felt across our entire City organization.”
Detectives are appealing for witnesses or anyone with video from the Centinela Avenue area to come forward.
