WSOC/Charlotte Regional Transit System
Shots were fired inside a moving Charlotte transit bus, injuring the bus driver and passengers.
CNN
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A bus driver and a passenger opened fire on a moving Charlotte transit bus earlier this month, injuring both, transportation officials said.
According to a Charlotte Area Transit System news release, the incident involved a bus passenger, identified by authorities as Omari Sharif Tobias, standing up while the bus was in motion and asking the driver to drop her off between designated bus stops. It started with
The driver, David Fraud, told Tobias that he would have to wait until the next approved stop. After about two minutes of exchange, Tobias pulled out a gun and pointed it at Mr. Fraud, transport said.
Frared also pulled out a gun at the time, according to transit agencies. Company spokesman Brandon Hunter told CNN by phone on Saturday that it was unclear who fired first, but the two fired their guns “in quick succession.”
Fraad was hit in the arm and Tobias in the abdomen, according to the transport agency.
A dramatic video of the encounter shows Frard pulling open the shattered driver’s railing as he stops the bus and stands up with his gun drawn. As Tobias crawled toward the back of the bus and two other passengers moved away, Furad fired his gun again from the bus’s aisle.
Tobias and another passenger exited the bus through the side door, and Mr. Furad exited through the front door, where he opened fire again, transport officials said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the transit agency said that Mr. Furad and Mr. Tobias were in stable condition and expected to recover, and that the other two passengers were safe.
Tobias has been charged with causing serious injury with a deadly weapon, making threats and carrying a concealed firearm, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department said in a news release. It’s unclear if Mr. Fraud will be prosecuted.
Mr. Fraud was fired from RATP Dev, the employer that employs the transit system’s bus operator, Hunter told CNN on Saturday. CNN reached out to the RATP developers for comment.
Possession of firearms or other weapons while at work or on company property is prohibited by the company’s workplace policy, and the first offense could result in dismissal for the employee, according to Transportation.
The Charlotte Area Transit System said Mr. Froud did not follow proper procedures.
“It would have been reasonable for the operator to try to defuse the situation by allowing the suspects and passengers to disembark the bus before reaching the next bus stop,” the transit system said.
Still recovering from his injuries, Fraud’s lawyer told CNN on Saturday that the driver, who worked for more than 19 years, was a “dedicated employee and valued his employment.” .
“Over the years, I have represented a significant number of CATS drivers, some of whom have been assaulted, shot or shot while on the job,” said attorney Ken Harris. told CNN in an email.
“They think of themselves as civil servants. Given their dedication, dedication, and the workplace hazards they encounter, we will continue to implement the CATS system to enhance driver safety measures. I’ve been encouraging,” Harris said.
Tobias is currently being held on $250,000 bail and is next scheduled to appear in court on June 6, but CNN has been unable to find a lawyer for him.
Police say they are continuing to investigate the incident.
