Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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A bus driver and passenger opened fire on each other on a moving Charlotte transit bus earlier this month, leaving both injured, transit authorities said. The incident started when a passenger, who authorities identified as Omarri Shariff Tobias, got up while the bus was in motion and asked the driver to let him off between designated bus stops, according to a news release from Charlotte Area Transit System. The driver, David Fullard, told Tobias he would have to wait until the next approved stop. After about a two-minute exchange, Tobias pulled out a gun and pointed it at Fullard, the transit system said. At this time, Fullard also pulled out a firearm, the transit system said. Both men fired their guns “in rapid succession,” although it is unclear who shot first, company spokesperson Brandon Hunter told CNN by phone Saturday.

Fullard was struck in the arm and Tobias was struck in the abdomen, according to the transit system. Dramatic video of the encounter shows Fullard stopping the bus and pushing open the shattered driver barrier, as he stands up with his gun still drawn. As Tobias crawled toward the back of the bus, where the two other passengers on board had moved, Fullard fired his gun again from the aisle of the bus. Tobias and another passenger exited the bus through the side door and Fullard exited through the front door, firing his gun again, the transit system said. Tobias and another passenger exited the bus through the side door and Fullard exited through the front door, firing his gun again, the transit system said. Both Fullard and Tobias are in stable condition and expected to recover, and the other two passengers were unharmed, the transit system said in a statement released Wednesday.

Tobias was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, communicating threats, and carrying a concealed firearm, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a news release. It’s unclear whether charges will be brought against Fullard. Fullard was fired by his employer, RATP Dev, which employs the transit system’s bus operators, Hunter told CNN on Saturday. CNN has reached out to RATP Dev for comment. Possession of a firearm or other weapons while on duty or on company property is prohibited by the company’s workplace policy and employees can be discharged after the first violation, according to the transit system.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/28/us/charl ... index.html



"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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YankeeTarheel wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 10:13 am I don't get it: Someone pulls a gun and says "Stop and let me off" why not just do it? Then call the cops.
My thoughts exactly YT. The perp is on camera and the cops can find him. Not really surprised that the transit agency fired the driver even after 19 years, he's a liability. Thankfully there were only two passengers on the bus and apparently they were unhurt.
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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highdesert wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 11:43 am
YankeeTarheel wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 10:13 am I don't get it: Someone pulls a gun and says "Stop and let me off" why not just do it? Then call the cops.
My thoughts exactly YT. The perp is on camera and the cops can find him. Not really surprised that the transit agency fired the driver even after 19 years, he's a liability. Thankfully there were only two passengers on the bus and apparently they were unhurt.
Agree to both comments.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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The video is not very clear and doesn't give any leading context, but the article description says they guy asked to be let off between stops first, and only pulled a gun when he was denied. It was entirely reasonable for the bus driver to refuse to stop since that creates legal liability for the bus company if something bad happens, like someone just falling down and hurting themself as they get off. Not a bus stop? The driver was negligent in letting someone off at an unsafe location.

After the guy pulled a gun, though, I'm not sure what to think. Certainly I can't criticize the bus driver for having an instant panic reaction and pulling out his own gun. On the other hand, it sounds like he wasn't supposed to be carrying a gun in the first place and that's probably why he was fired more than anything.

Getting out of the seat to confront the rider a second time was definitely a bad move, though.
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Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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Eris wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 7:07 pm The video is not very clear and doesn't give any leading context, but the article description says they guy asked to be let off between stops first, and only pulled a gun when he was denied. It was entirely reasonable for the bus driver to refuse to stop since that creates legal liability for the bus company if something bad happens, like someone just falling down and hurting themself as they get off. Not a bus stop? The driver was negligent in letting someone off at an unsafe location.

After the guy pulled a gun, though, I'm not sure what to think. Certainly I can't criticize the bus driver for having an instant panic reaction and pulling out his own gun. On the other hand, it sounds like he wasn't supposed to be carrying a gun in the first place and that's probably why he was fired more than anything.

Getting out of the seat to confront the rider a second time was definitely a bad move, though.
I think you’re right on the analysis. Instead of pulling his gun, just stopping regardless might have been a better option. I doubt the bus company was on board with the driver carrying. The illegal stop would be easier to mitigate no matter what.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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Designated pick up and drop off locations are for the safety of passengers, every transit system works the same. Once the driver (Fullard) said no and the perp (Tobias) pulled out a gun, the driver should have stopped and let the guy out and avoided all the bullets flying. He'd probably still have his job. It's amazing that none of the passengers were injured or that someone outside of the bus on the street or in a passing vehicle wasn't hit.

I have no doubt that Charlotte transit drivers like transit bus drivers throughout the US, get abuse and threats and that's probably why the driver was carrying even though prohibited. With a good lawyer and union support, maybe he can get his job back.
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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We here at the LGC do not condone toxic masculinity of any sort. If there was some pissing contest going on between the two gun wielders both should go to jail for seriously endangering the public.

It’s what that video appears to be to me in any case. And the transit authority which fired the bus driver apparently.

Having a gun does not automatically mean they must brandish the gun, or even fire it in self defense when having someone point a gun at them. If an unruly passenger threatens the bus driver with a gun to demand he stop, the reasonable bus driver would stop and file a police report… keep his job with a little bit of paperwork later to explain why he dropped off the passenger outside a designated stop. The unreasonable bus driver would start a gunfight, get out of his seat and pursue the offender off “his” bus.

Note that in both instances the bus was stopped…

That story would change if the unruly passenger pulled his gun and automatically started firing without making any further demands to stop the bus. Then and only then could this shooting be considered self-defense.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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A guy who cares so little about human life that he threatens you with deadly force to stop the bus just because he wants to get off isn't somebody who would do something like... shoot you just for jollies?

Wait... He sure the fuck might.

I'm not going to criticize the driver for making the decision to draw and fire on a deadly threat.

When the gunfight moves down the isle of the bus we don't see what is going on so is the threat still active or is the driver pursuing the attacker for punishment? Gets a little sketchy, and moreso when they exit the bus.

Whatever happened, I'm giving the driver leeway/ benefit of the doubt because he is a victim. The other guy started the gunfight.

Re: Bus passenger and bus driver get into gun battle.

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Bisbee wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 8:15 pm We here at the LGC do not condone toxic masculinity of any sort. If there was some pissing contest going on between the two gun wielders both should go to jail for seriously endangering the public.

It’s what that video appears to be to me in any case. And the transit authority which fired the bus driver apparently.

Having a gun does not automatically mean they must brandish the gun, or even fire it in self defense when having someone point a gun at them. If an unruly passenger threatens the bus driver with a gun to demand he stop, the reasonable bus driver would stop and file a police report… keep his job with a little bit of paperwork later to explain why he dropped off the passenger outside a designated stop. The unreasonable bus driver would start a gunfight, get out of his seat and pursue the offender off “his” bus.

Note that in both instances the bus was stopped…

That story would change if the unruly passenger pulled his gun and automatically started firing without making any further demands to stop the bus. Then and only then could this shooting be considered self-defense.
Good reasoning.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

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