One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Metro Bus Driver Shooting: Suspect IDd, Booked for Murder
Photo by ˜db˜ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Authorities in West Hollywood have released the name of the man detained on suspicion of fatally shooting a Metro bus driver Sunday morning. 41-year-old Anthony Craig Chambers of Los Angeles was booked for the murder of the operator of the Route 105 bus traveling eastbound on Santa Monica Boulevard. Chambers was a passenger on the bus.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies say that the suspect shot the driver in the upper torso and climbed out a back window on the bus where he awaited his arrest.
"The MTA confirmed that the victim was Allen Thomas, 51, who was an MTA employee for five years," reports ABC7.
Chambers is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. The LASD say they will not release a booking photo of the suspect, and have no other information about him available at this time.
The LASD note that during their on-scene investigation, detectives discovered a suspicious package inside the bus, which arson investigators determined was not explosive, but the item was removed from the vehicle.
Of yesterday's shooting, Metro spokesperson Rick Jager remarks how rare and troubling such an incident is for the transit agency, according to City News Service: From our perspective we are very concerned about this incident,'' Jager said. "It is a very highly unusual situation."
Jager adds: "Our CEO went to the scene to express his condolences. We are very concerned about our fellow employees.''
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
