California City Suspends Bus Service After Driver Fatally Shot

Culver City has suspended all of its bus services through the weekend following the fatal shooting of a bus driver in Mar Vista on Thursday evening. The driver, 42, was shot around 5:15 p.m. and later pronounced dead at a hospital.

In a statement, Mayor Freddy Puza expressed grief over the loss of a "deeply valued member of our City family." The city is offering crisis support to its employees.

The suspected gunman, described as a male passenger in his 40s, fled the scene on foot or by bicycle and has not been apprehended. Police believe the suspect may have been intoxicated and had gotten into an argument with the driver over a missed exit or a wrong turn. The dispute escalated, leading the suspect to produce a handgun and fire shots. Two other passengers were on the bus at the time but were unharmed.

Homicide detectives are investigating the incident and searching for the suspect. The weapon used in the shooting has not yet been recovered.

The decision to halt services was made to "honor this loss and give our team time to grieve." The city asked riders to be understanding and kind to operators and transit staff when services eventually resume.

Culver CityBus is a public transportation system serving the city of Culver City and surrounding areas in Los Angeles County.