Culver City bus driver shooting: Suspect held without bail after entering not guilty plea

LOS ANGELES - Jose Zayas, the man accused of fatally shooting Bruce Rodriguez, a father of two and Culver City bus driver, pleaded not guilty on Thursday.

The backstory:

On Thursday, Oct. 1 around 5:15 p.m., authorities responded to reports of gunfire and an injured bus driver near the intersection of Centinela Avenue and Washington Boulevard in Mar Vista.

Rodriguez, 42, was treated at the scene and taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead by medical personnel. He was a transit worker who dedicated 12 years of service to the community.

A GoFundMe set up for his family states the deadly shooting happened as Rodriguez was finishing his shift.

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Dig deeper:

While the bus was operated by Culver City, the crime took place within the Los Angeles Police Department’s jurisdiction.

LAPD investigators said on Oct. 1, Zayas asked Rodriguez to stop the bus so he could get off. However, when Rodriguez informed him he was unable to do so given heavy traffic and the positioning of the bus, Zayas produced a handgun and proceeded to shoot Rodriguez multiple times. The suspect then grabbed his bike from the front rack of the bus and left the scene.

Internal surveillance video equipped on the bus along with witness statements from two unharmed passengers aboard helped detectives track down the shooter.

The following evening, Zayas, 55, was arrested outside his Palms apartment and booked on suspicion of murder. While his bail was initially set at $3 million, a judge later revoked bail.

He was charged by the LA County District Attorney’s Office with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegation of murder of transportation personnel and a special allegation that he personally used a firearm. In addition, he faces one count of a felon in possession of a firearm.

What they're saying:

"Bruce Rodriguez was a valued colleague, a beloved father and husband who was tragically killed by a passenger aboard his bus," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "People relied on him every day to get them to where they needed to go. Our transit systems must be safe for every driver, commuter and community member, and this office will hold individuals fully accountable if they brazenly and violently break the law and shatter that sense of safety."

What's next:

If convicted, Zayas faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is due back in court on Jan. 28, 2027.

Mar VistaCulver CityCrime and Public Safety