A late night bus ride turned terrifying when passengers ducked for cover to avoid getting hit by gunfire.
Police said two bullets struck the right side of a southbound KCATA Max bus on 40th Street and Troost Avenue on Tuesday around 11:05 p.m.
The driver and seven passengers were not hurt. In fact, the driver kept going south to Cleaver Boulevard, where he met his supervisors and police.
Surveillance cameras captured the shooting from different angles.
NEW VIDEO: passengers duck for cover when 2 bullets strike this @RideKCTransit #MAX bus last night on Troost & 40th pic.twitter.com/VAFeUbWxQP
— Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) June 29, 2016
In one camera facing the back of the bus shows as the glass falls, a person appears from a driveway and runs north on Troost.
In a statement, the KCATA believes the bus was not the target.
“When I first moved here, I felt real safe, you know, nice, quiet, but not anymore, “ Joann Simpson, a long-time KCATA rider, said.
She moved from Chicago eight years to get away from the violence.
Simpson depends on the bus every day to get to and from work, but because of the shooting, she she chose to walk Wednesday.
“I’m still kind of scared, you know, maybe tomorrow or the next day but not today,” Simpson said.
On social media, one of the seven passengers on board posted this on his Facebook profile:
Someone shot a bus last night and I can't find any news on it. @41ActionNews @KCStar @RideKCTransit pic.twitter.com/aufaNGnZnA
— {{{Katie}}} (@KatieKCMO) June 29, 2016
“You gotta take a chance on losing your life just riding the bus, trying to get back and forth where you’re going, it’s ridiculous, something really needs to be done about that,” Simpson said.
If you know anything about this shooting, call police or the KC Crimestoppers hotline 816-474-TIPS (8477).
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
