According to authorities, a Florida bus driver shot and killed two of his passengers after pulling a gun during a dispute with a rider.
The Miami Gardens Police Department informed local broadcasters that they were investigating a shooting on a Miami-Dade Transit bus early Sunday morning.
According to investigators, the driver allegedly became involved in an argument with a passenger on the bus before opening fire, killing two people.
“We are not sure why he fired his weapon. “We know there was a disturbance inside the bus,” a police spokesperson told NBC Miami.
The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works stated that, while it strives to protect all employees from violence, there is a “absolute prohibition” on drivers carrying weapons on the job.
“Yesterday’s incident aboard a Metrobus remains under investigation, and the Department is fully cooperating with law enforcement,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
Both of the people shot were flown to the hospital by helicopter, but neither survived. The driver has not been identified, and no charges have been announced thus far.
According to one witness who was on board during the incident and spoke with WPLG News, the dispute began when the driver refused to allow a man to board with a bike he believed to be stolen.
Passengers in Miami are not permitted to bring bikes on board buses and must instead use the bike racks located at the front of each bus.
When the man threatened the driver and reached into his bag, the driver allegedly pulled out his gun and fired six times, hitting both the man with the bike and another passenger who was not involved in the dispute.
Police have not confirmed whether anyone other than the driver was carrying a weapon.
The Transport Workers Union Local 291 branch, which represents Miami-Dade drivers, described the situation as “heartbreaking for everyone involved”.
“We are devastated by [these] tragic events… and extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” according to the labor organization. “The safety of both our operators and the riding public is and always will be our highest priority.”
