Vigil planned for bus driver shot dead by passenger
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (BDCi) – Friends and co-workers are planning a vigil on Monday for a Metro bus driver who was shot and killed Sunday morning in West Hollywood.
The vigil will take place at 8 p.m. at Metro Division 7, located at 8800 Santa Monica Boulevard. Hundreds of people are expected to attend.
A growing memorial for Allen Thomas, 51, has been set up at the shooting scene. Allen had worked for the MTA for five years.
The shooting happened Sunday morning at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and West Knoll Avenue.
Thomas was taken to Cedars Sinai, where he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
According to authorities, he was leaving a layover area after a break when the shooting happened. The suspect has been identified as 41-year-old Anthony Craig Chambers, of Los Angeles.
According to witnesses, he was the only passenger on the bus at the time.
Chambers climber out of a bus window and ran toward La Cienega, where he surrendered without incident when deputies arrived.
“It’s incredibly rare for this type of crime to occur on our bus system,” sheriff’s Lt. John Sullivan said. “This is the first murder of an operator on a Metro system known in history.”
Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
“As far as we know right now, there’s no relation between the suspect and the victim,” Lt. Dave Dolson. Police are looking into how Chambers got onto the bus since Thomas was just coming off a break. Chambers is being held on $1 million bail.
By: Natania Levine Courtesy; ktla.com Photo: ktla.com 21 May 2012
10:30 a.m. P.D.T