High-speed chase after hijacker shoots LA bus passenger dead

Suspect arrested after Swat team storms vehicle

The scene after police stopped a hijacked bus in Los Angeles. The image was widely shared on social media platforms but has not been verified. Photo: X

One person died after a hijacker shot a bus passenger in Los Angeles and then took the vehicle on a one-hour high-speed ride through the US city early on Wednesday.

Police said the hijacker shot at least one person before holding the driver hostage and forcing him to head north.

The bus was eventually brought to a halt in central LA. Police disabled the vehicle by disconnecting the battery. The driver was “extracted” by police through a side window and brought to safety.

Special weapons and tactics (Swat) officers stormed the bus and took the suspect into custody, according to reports. One person, believed to be a passenger, was taken to hospital in a critical condition but later died.

AB7 helicopter reporter Chris Christi said the bus had been travelling in the wrong direction.

One outlet suggested officers had been holding the bus at gunpoint and ordered the suspect to surrender, communicating with the person over a loudspeaker.