One passenger dead

Los Angeles: Hostage-taker with gun hijacks bus

The hijacked bus during the hostage-taking(Bild: APA/AP)

A man has been killed during a hostage-taking on a public transportation bus in Los Angeles. The passenger was hit by several shots and succumbed to his injuries in hospital, as the police announced on Wednesday in the online service X. The suspected hostage-taker was arrested. 

The armed man entered the bus at around 1 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday night, police said. There were only two passengers on board in addition to the driver. The passenger who later died was reportedly injured at the beginning of the hostage situation. The second passenger and the driver were unharmed.

Police destroyed the tires of the bus
The officers used metal spikes to puncture the tires of the vehicle. The bus finally came to a halt at an intersection in the city center, the report continued. A special unit then stormed the bus and used stun grenades and other non-lethal weapons.

A video of the incident can be seen here:

Perpetrator threatened driver with gun
According to the police, the driver had triggered a silent alarm. During the entire ensuing chase, the driver was then threatened with a weapon by the hostage-taker.

The vehicle was hijacked near this bus depot.(Bild: APA/ Associated Press)

Already the second bus hijacking this year
In the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles, there have been several acts of violence on the public transport network in recent months. In March, a gunman took control of a bus and provoked a traffic collision. In April, a woman was killed in a knife attack at a subway station.

In response, Mayor Karen Bass stepped up security on public transport. Following the fatal hostage-taking on Wednesday, she announced further improvements to security measures.

Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympic Games. Bass is planning to expand the public transport system in the metropolis, which is known for its mega traffic jams, and has announced "car-free games".