Gunman arrested after fatally shooting Culver City bus driver in Mar Vista
Man arrested for allegedly killing Culver City bus driver
LAPD arrested a man for allegedly killing a Culver City bus driver. A motive for the shooting is still unknown.
LOS ANGELES - A man has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a Culver City bus driver following a dispute aboard a bus in Mar Vista on Thursday night.
What we know:
Officers responded to reports of gunfire and a bus driver down along Centinela Avenue near Washington Boulevard around 5:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Paramedics treated the driver in his 40s at the scene for two gunshot wounds before taking him to a hospital, where he later died. The suspect fled on a bicycle he retrieved from the front rack of the bus.
Although operated by Culver City, the shooting occurred within LAPD jurisdiction, placing the investigation under the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division and West Homicide detectives.
Two passengers aboard the bus were not hurt and questioned as key witnesses.
Authorities confirmed the bus was equipped with cameras, providing detectives with internal surveillance video to aid in the investigation.
LAPD detectives located and arrested the suspect, 55-year-old Jose Zayas, Friday evening. FOX 11 captured video of him being taken into custody outside his apartment in Palms. He was booked for murder with bail set at $3 million.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has not yet released the victim's name, pending formal family notification.
Arrest made in shooting death of Culver City bus driver
The suspect who opened fire on a Culver City bus driver in Mar Vista Thursday night has been taken into custody by LAPD detectives.
What they're saying:
Law enforcement officers described a rapid escalation stemming from a minor dispute over directions.
"We have video we're going through," an LAPD officer at the scene said. "We have witnesses locked down as well. We have a team of investigators out here already. We're looking at the evidence. We are going to stay on it until we identify and locate the suspect."
Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza issued a statement expressing devastation over the loss of the city worker.
"We have lost a deeply valued member of our City family to a senseless act of violence," said Puza. "We are grieving the loss of someone who dedicated their time and talents to serving Culver City and who made a meaningful difference through that service every day."
Puza noted the heavy emotional toll on municipal personnel.
"Behind every City service are people who care deeply about this community, and tonight we mourn one of our own. This loss is deeply personal for our Culver CityBus team and will be felt across our entire City organization," Puza said.
What's next:
To allow transit workers time to process the tragedy, Culver City leadership announced that all Culver City bus service will remain suspended through the weekend while counseling services are provided to municipal employees.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza, and municipal authorities. City News Service contributed.