A bus driver Meter was stabbed in the back in Venice on Thursday afternoon when, apparently, the perpetrator refused to pay the fare to use public transportation.
The attack occurred around 2 p.m. in the 1700 block of Main Street, when the driver was standing in front of the bus when the suspect, a man in his 50s or 60s, attacked him from behind.
The 29-year-old victim was transported to a hospital but his condition is unknown.
A woman was punched and beaten by another passenger on a subway ride in a terrifying attack last week in Long Beach.
“When the bus driver was turned over, the homeless he took out a knife and poked him in the back here,” says Jorge Gil, a security guard who witnessed the attack.
Gil managed to stop the suspect from fleeing and held him until he was arrested by Los Angeles police officers. He claims that it was apparently a homeless man.
“It was a machete, a 12-inch knife and look, when he buried it in his back and I took it out, I sprayed him in the eyes because he wanted to escape,” says Gil.
The witness assures that it all started when the driver and the attacker got into an argument outside the bus because the attacker did not want to pay the service fee.
Gil managed to subdue the attacker until the police arrived and arrested him.
“Since we stopped him in about 5 minutes in which we spoke to the police and they came and quickly took them away with the knife and everything,” Gil said.
Passengers are concerned about the violent events that have taken place in Metro stations and trains.
In a statement, Metro regretted the incident and assured that it is providing the necessary support to the victim and his family. The transport agency also states that they are collaborating with the police in the investigation.
Concern among users
The feeling of public transport users is of concern, since several passengers have been attacked in recent months on the Los Angeles County train and bus system.
In May another subway driver was stabbed in woodland hillsby another passenger who refused to pay the service fee.
“Public transport is not very safe, because so far this year I have seen seven cases like this,” said Erick López, a public transport user.
They used public transport and ended up stabbed. Three subway passengers were attacked this week at different stations in Los Angeles. This year, crimes on the subway have increased by 24% compared to last year.
The Metro board of directors approved a motion on Thursday to develop the implementation plan for an internal security department that will allow for more surveillance personnel, greater transparency and a better and faster response to crimes or crisis situations in the units. transport
If the motion is approved, the Security Department would have a budget of $135 million and could start its functions in 2024.
Meanwhile, many users will continue to use public transport trains and buses with caution and fear, in some cases.
“I also feel affected because sometimes one goes through issues of violence, one also has to take care of oneself,” said Pablo Hernández, who uses public transportation.
