Video of North Carolina Bus Shootout Released

A bus driver was fired and a passenger was arrested after a shootout on a moving bus in North Carolina. The Charlotte Area Transit System has released video of the May 18 incident, which injured both the driver and the passenger, WRAL reports. The transit system says driver, David Fullard and passenger Omari Tobias opened fire “in rapid succession” after a dispute but it’s not clear which man fired first, reports CNN. The transit system says Tobias, 22, pulled a gun after he asked to be let out at an unscheduled stop and Fullard refused, telling him he would have to wait for an approved stop.

Bullets shattered the Plexiglass of the driver’s cab as the two other passengers on the bus ducked for cover, ABC7 reports. Video shows that after the bus stopped, Fullard continued to fire at Tobias as he crawled off the vehicle through a side door and ran away. Tobias was hit in the abdomen and Fullard was hit in the hand during the shootout. The other two passengers were unharmed. Police say Tobias was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, communicating threats, and carrying a concealed firearm. No charges have been filed against Fullard.

The transit system says drivers are not allowed to carry weapons while on duty and Fullard failed to follow protocol. It would have been “reasonable for the operator to attempt to de-escalate the situation by allowing the suspect/passenger to exit the bus before arriving at the next bus stop,” the system said. Ken Harris, the driver’s attorney, says Fullard worked for the transit system for more than 19 years and carried a gun because he did not feel safe. “I have represented a substantial number of CATS drivers over the years. Some of whom who have been assaulted, shot at, or shot during their work activity,” he tells CNN. (Read more North Carolina stories.)