Washington – A man attacked a bus driver, stole the bus, then struck and killed a pedestrian after the bus jumped a curb at a gas station in northeast Washington on Tuesday, police said.
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The man with a weapon stood by the driver for a time and then attacked the driver, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said at a news conference. Passengers fled the bus, and the driver hit the emergency button before getting off himself, she said.
The man shut the door and drove off. As the bus pulled into a gas station parking lot, it went over a curb and hit the pedestrian, who was killed, Lanier said.
The man who stole the bus appeared distraught and was violent as officers took him into custody, she said.
Lanier called it a “bizarre incident,” saying it was uncharacteristic for a person to take a bus and attack a bus driver. The string of events took place over just three minutes, she said. The gas station is just five blocks from where the man boarded the bus.
Metro officials tweeted that the bus driver was hurt, but his injuries were not life-threatening. They say passengers on the bus were not injured.