A subway rider was fatally shot on a Commerce City bus Thursday afternoon, hours after Mayor Karen Bass ordered “increased” law enforcement in response to shocking incidents on the area’s bus and subway systems. violence.
A Metro spokesperson confirmed the shooting occurred on bus 108. According to Metro, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a suspect.
Metro sources said the attack appeared to be unprovoked.
“The tragic incident on a Metro bus in the business district this afternoon demonstrates that violence is increasing across society and spreading into our local communities,” Metro said in a statement. “Metro takes this incident deeply. We are deeply saddened and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
The incident occurred in the 6200 block of Slauson Avenue around 4:50 p.m., and the victim was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, the Sheriff’s Department said. The names of the victim and suspect have not been released.
The shooting is the latest violent attack on subway passengers. Three people were stabbed Two incidents occurred this week.Last month, a 66-year-old woman stabbed to death On the subway when she was coming home from get off work in the evening.
The violence has frightened some subway users, who say it is no longer safe to take mass transit. Earlier Thursday, Bass announced she would increase deployment levels of law enforcement officers, but she did not say how many more officers would be deployed or for how long.
“We have recently seen a spike in violent crime on the subway targeting operators and passengers, which is absolutely unacceptable,” she said.
According to Metro’s 2023 year-end summary, homicides, aggravated assaults and robberies increased from 2019 to 2023. During the same period, another type of crime such as assault, vandalism, narcotic drug use and sexual crimes increased sharply on subway trains.
There were no homicides on Metro trains in 2019, but there were three in 2020, five each in 2021 and 2022, and six in 2023, according to Metro data. In December 2023, the total number of B-line crimes increased by 18% from the previous month, with an increase in aggravated assault, robbery and theft.
