A man opened fire on a Dallas-area public bus on Sunday, hijacking it with two people on board and leading officers on a chase that ended...
A man opened fire on a Dallas-area public bus on Sunday, hijacking it with two people on board and leading officers on a chase that ended in a shootout in which the man was killed and three officers were wounded, according to police officials.
The suspect, Ramon Thomas Villagomez, got on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus in Richardson, just north of Dallas, at around 11am and opened fire, shattering windows, said Gordon Shattles, a DART spokesman.
He then took the driver hostage and fired at DART officers who tried to stop the vehicle while police from other agencies joined the pursuit eastward along the President George Bush Turnpike, said Garland police officer Pedro Barineau.
'We have a situation in which somebody has taken a driver of a bus hostage, is shooting at the police as we are pursuing and there's people around all over the road,' he said.
The gunman drives the bus and attempts to escape as hordes of police vehicles follow
The occurred north of Dallas. Thankfully there was only one passenger on the bus at the time
A DART bus is investigated after a gunman held the driver hostage and fired shots inside the bus while being chased by police on Sunday
The gunman was shot by cops and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead
Two officers were shot and transported to the hospital with non-life threading injuries
The chase went on for around 11 miles in the northeast section of Dallas
'During the pursuit shots were continually being fired from the actual gunman inside the bus toward the officers and the officers were returning fire,' Barineau said to CBS News.
Police eventually used a spike strip to stop the vehicle along the freeway in the suburb of Rowlett, according to Barineau.
The man continued firing as he exited the bus after it stopped, and officers returned fire, killing him, said Barineau.
A DART public transportation officer and a Garland police officer were shot and wounded, but their injuries weren't considered life-threatening, he said.
A tire lays in the road at the intersection of Hwy 66 and N President George Bush Highway while a DART bus is investigated
Garland police officer Pedro Barineau said if it weren't for current circumstances, the situation could've been far worse with more passengers involved
The man continued firing as he exited the bus after it stopped, and officers returned fire, killing him, said Barineau
A Rowlett police officer also was injured when the window of his patrol vehicle was shot out, according to Rowlett police spokesman Cruz Hernandez. He said the officer is expected to recover.
Shattles had earlier said two officers, a DART officer and a Garland officer, were wounded.
Another passenger was on the bus during the chase, but was not injured, DART spokesman Gordon Shattles said.
Barineau said if it weren't for current circumstances, the situation could've been worse.
Officers from Richardson, Garland, Dallas, Rowland and DART, which serves Dallas and its suburbs, took part in the chase. No motive for the shooting has been released. An investigation in continuing.
Officers from Richardson, Garland, Dallas, Rowland and DART, which serves Dallas and its suburbs, took part in the chase. No motive for the shooting has been released
Police used a spike strip to stop the vehicle along the freeway in the suburb of Rowlett
No comments