1 dead after bus hijacking in Georgia; suspect in custody: Police

(ATLANTA) — One person was fatally shot in connection with a bus hijacking that prompted a police chase through two Georgia counties on Tuesday, authorities said.

The incident began at approximately 4:35 p.m. ET in downtown Atlanta, when police responded to a report of gunfire on a Gwinnett County Transit bus and a “possible hostage situation,” the Atlanta Police Department said.

“Upon the officers’ arrival at the scene, the bus fled the location, and a pursuit ensued,” the Atlanta Police Department said in a press release.

Several passengers were on the bus when it was hijacked, police said.

The ensuing pursuit spanned multiple jurisdictions, during which police attempted “various tactics” to stop the bus, police said. The vehicle ultimately stopped in Stone Mountain in DeKalb County, approximately 16 miles northeast of where the incident began, police said.

Once the bus came to a stop, DeKalb County SWAT officers “strategically positioned the Bearcat to prevent any avenues of escape,” the DeKalb County Police Department said in a statement.

The suspect — a 39-year-old man — was taken into custody without further incident, police said.

SWAT officers found the gunshot victim while clearing the bus, DeKalb County police said. The victim was transported in critical condition to a local hospital, where they died, Atlanta police said. No further details on the victim were provided by police.

No other injuries were reported.

The investigation remains ongoing, Atlanta police said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.