Early Wednesday morning, a Los Angeles metro bus was hijacked by a man that led to a high-speed chase by LAPD in downtown L.A. One person onboard was killed.
The incident began at 12:45 a.m., when Lamont Campbell, 51, allegedly pulled a gun to the driver’s head and attempted to hijack the bus. The ensuing LAPD pursuit lasted an hour.
The bus driver pulled the emergency panic button, causing the front of the bus to flash the words “Emergency” and “911 Call Police” on its exterior electronic boards. Shortly after, police officers arrived, with the chase concluding at the intersection of 6th Street and Alameda Street in downtown L.A.
During a press conference following the conclusion of the pursuit, LAPD officials said they used “spike stripes” — road spikes that puncture tires — in order to stop the bus from moving. The spike stripes successfully punctured the right tire of the bus, ABC7 reported.
One person died onboard the vehicle, succumbing to their wounds from multiple gunshots fired by the alleged hijacker. The rest of the passengers and the bus driver were reported to have no injuries at this time. The alleged hijacker surrendered and was arrested.
In interviews with Annenberg Media, USC students have expressed doubt over the safety of LA public transportation.
Max Kranzler, a senior studying psychology, called the incident “terrifying.”
“I lived in L.A. over the summer and there’s always something that happens on the roads,” he said. ‘Oh, there’s a car on fire or there is a high-speed pursuit.’ I don’t think that would necessarily stop me from riding the metro.”
Zahra Shergadwala, a master’s student studying computer science, said the incident makes her concerned the next time she rides L.A. public transportation.
“That definitely raises a few concerns in my head because of course I mean, we are using the Metro almost every second day, and it just makes us more cautious,” Shergadwala said. “To be more careful about traveling by the metro.”
Dhruv Kantilal, a second-year master’s student studying clinical and experimental therapeutics, contrasted the experience of riding USC’s shuttle buses with L.A.’s metro buses.
“The USC bus is more safe because you don’t have those kind of people who are not supposed to be there, because it’s the university one, and it becomes more convenient,” Kantilal said. “The USC one is obviously better off than the other metro.”
David Carlisle, Assistant Chief of the Department of Public Safety, recommends students use USC’s shuttle services as an alternative option to travel in the area near campus.
“We typically encourage students if they’re traveling in the USC neighborhood or traveling back and forth between USC and, say, downtown Los Angeles or to our Health Sciences Campus, to use USC transportation service,” Carlisle said. “Rather than public transportation services, there are trams that run almost around the clock in the area around USC.”
Some students noted they make sure to stay aware of their surroundings while using L.A. public transportation.
“Don’t fall asleep, keep my eyes open. I think that’s also part of the privilege I have. Just says [I’m] a guy,” Kranzler said. “I stay aware of my surroundings, just like any other urban area.”
Shergadwala said after hearing about this morning’s incident, she will be more cautious about using public transportation in the future and usually prefers to sit alone when she has the option.
“I mean, after hearing about such issues, I think I would kind of think twice if I take the metro and take another alternative,” she said.
Kantilal said he has heard of other incidents involving people assaulting other metro riders and that he has witnessed it himself while using the metro.
“I have heard of incidents where people just hurt other people, punch other people, and just jump off the metro,” Kantilal said. “I have seen violence by myself. So even if it’s not intentional, it’s still scary.”
Carlisle said students who find themselves in a dangerous situation while using public transportation can use the LiveSafe app to share their location with DPS, regardless of proximity to campus.
“Have the LiveSafe application on your phone,” Carlisle said. “Alert the driver of the bus, who usually has an emergency button. It’s a panic alarm that sends a message to LAPD, and it also broadcasts on the outside of the bus, on the banner, ‘Emergency - Call 911.’’