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A metro bus driver was fatally shot by a passenger in West Hollywood this morning, according to the sheriff's department.
It happened around 9 am this morning near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and West Knoll Drive (near La Cienega), according to a release. The victim described only as a black man was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital. A man was detained at the scene in connection with the shooting.
Los Angeles Sheriff's Department spokesman Mike Parker tweeted that the victim was a bus operator for Metro and the suspect was his passenger:
#LASD Homicide enr Santa Monica Bl/West Knoll Dr West Hollywood ,fatal shooting of @MetroLosAngeles bus operator. Susp.detained
— Michael Parker (@mplasd) May 20, 2012
@9:10am,Sun @MetroLosAngeles bus operator shot by psgr, Santa Monica Blvd/West Knoll Dr, West Hollywood .Susp detained #LASD
— Michael Parker (@mplasd) May 20, 2012
Few other details about the shooting were available. Homicide detectives are investigating.UPDATE 1:45 pm: Metro spokesman Rick Jager added that the driver was piloting a Route 105 bus east on Santa Monica Boulevard. He was shot around 9:09 am and was pronounced dead at 9:20 am.
Jager told City News Service, "From our perspective we are very concerned about this incident. It is a very highly-unusual situation."
He said the Metro CEO Art Leahy went to the scene and expressed his condolences.
UPDATE 2:45 pm: 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.
Marc Littman, spokesman for Metro, told NBC Los Angeles that initial reports suggested the suspect used a shotgun. Lt. Dave Dolson with the sheriff's department told NBC that it didn't appear the gunman had a relationship with the bus driver, and no other passengers were aboard.
"It's very very rare that something like this happens," Dolson said. "We'll know more in the next few days, I'm sure."
Metro happened to have a staffer nearby for the Amgen race, who noticed the bus roll backward into some parked cars. He rushed to see what happened and called 9-1-1.
