LOS ANGELES, CA — In an alarming episode in downtown Los Angeles, a man simulated possession of a firearm to commandeer a city bus late Wednesday night, resulting in a series of collisions and substantial property damage.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported that the incident began at approximately 11:10 p.m. when a man boarded an unmanned Metro bus. The individual threatened the driver with gestures suggesting he was armed and demanded the driver to proceed immediately.
As the bus operator navigated a left turn from Olympic Boulevard onto Georgia Street, the perpetrator forcefully seized control of the vehicle’s steering wheel. This sudden maneuver led to the bus ramming into several parked vehicles, one of which was occupied at the time of the incident.
The chaos culminated in the hijacked bus crashing into the facade of a local hotel. Following the crash, the malefactor abandoned the vehicle and escaped the scene on foot. A subsequent police search of the area resulted in the discovery of a discarded BB gun on the sidewalk near the site of the crash.
Emergency medical services, including Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, responded quickly to the scene. The bus driver, along with the occupant of the vehicle hit by the bus, were both transported to the hospital. Authorities have confirmed that the Metro bus driver was released after treatment, while the other victim remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Source: mycbs4.com