A Charlotte transit bus driver and passenger reportedly exchanged gunfire while the bus was in motion, injuring both parties. According to a press release from Charlotte Area Transit System, the incident began when a passenger, later identified by officials as Omarri Shariff Tobias, stood up while the bus was moving and demanded the driver to let him off between approved bus stops.
David Fullard, the driver, informed Tobias that he couldn’t leave the bus until the next legal stop. The transit system reported that after a two-minute discussion, Tobias pulled out a revolver and aimed it at Fullard. The transit system also reported that Fullard had a gun drawn at this time.
In a phone call with CNN on Saturday, a business spokesman said that both men had fired their we@pons “in rapid succession,” though it was not apparent who had fired first. According to the public transportation system, Fullard was injured in the arm and Tobias was injured in the stomach.
Video footage of the confrontation captures the dramatic moment when Fullard stops the bus and opens the driver barrier after it has been broken. Tobias was making his way toward the back of the bus, where the two remaining passengers were hiding when Fullard opened fire from the bus’s aisle.
According to the transit system, Fullard got off the vehicle and fired his gun again as Tobias and another passenger left through the front door. The other two passengers were unharmed, while Fullard and Tobias are in stable condition and expected to recover, according to a statement made by the metro system on Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Tobias was arr*sted and charged with assault with a de@dly we@pon resulting in serious injury, conveying threats, and carrying a concealed firearm. The fate of Fullard’s potential criminal prosecution remains unknown.
If you’re interested in reading more from the California Examiner, here are some links:
- 1 De@d After 3 Dayton Males Shot; Police Probing Connected Incidents
- Escaped Prisoner’s Body Found in Kentucky’s Ohio River
Hunter told CNN on Saturday that Fullard was let go by RATP Dev, the company that hires the bus drivers for the transit system. CNN has contacted RATP Dev for their thoughts on the matter.
According to the transportation system, employees can be terminated after the first offense for possessing a firearm or other weapon while on the clock or on company property. According to CATS, Fullard did not behave in an appropriate manner.
“It would have been reasonable for the operator to attempt to de-escalate the situation by allowing the suspect/passenger to exit the bus before arriving at the next bus stop,” the transit system said.
The following tweet confirms the news:
A bus driver and passenger were both injured when they shot at each other in a dramatic incident on a moving Charlotte transit bus, authorities said. https://t.co/bjflnlsUOh
— CNN (@CNN) May 28, 2023
According to CNN, Fullard’s attorney, Fullard was “a dedicated employee and treasured his employment” for more than 19 years as a driver before he was injured. “I have represented a substantial number of CATS drivers over the years. Some of whom who have been assaulted, shot at or shot during their work activity,” attorney Ken Harris told CNN in an email.
“They consider themselves public servants. In light of their commitment, dedication, and the workplace dangers that they encounter, we have continuously encouraged the CATS system to enhance security measures for drivers,” Harris said.
Tobias’s next court date is June 6, and he is now being held in lieu of a $250,000 bond. CNN has been unable to find him an attorney. The police have stated that their investigation is ongoing.
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