2 shootings at Houston south side Metro bus stops
In the last 24 hours, 2 shootings have occurred at Metro bus stops on Houston’s south side. Fox 26’s Leslie Delasbour is live at the southeast transit center on Old Spanish Trail in 3rd Ward where one person died on Sunday evening.
HOUSTON – Three shootings have occurred at Houston METRO bus stops/ transit centers in Houston over the last month.
Houston METRO bus stop shootings: Passengers react
Specifically, in the last 24 hours, there were two shootings at a bus stop and transit center on Houston’s southside.
What they’re saying:
FOX 26 spoke with one man who is new to Houston. He told us he’s not afraid for himself, but he worries about his wife riding the bus.
“It’s dangerous out here,” said Juan Little. “I tell my wife all the time if people come up and they trying disturb you out your peace, if they are asking for something, if you have it, give it to them. Because you don’t know what nobody got on them, and what they are capable of doing, if they are in their right mind or not.”
Little says he and his wife ride the METRO every day as it’s their only means of transportation, so he was shocked to learn that one person died at Southeast Transit Center.
Big picture view:
According to authorities, they are looking for a suspect and any information after a 53-year-old man was found dead in his car, after an argument with the suspect who is unknown at this time.
However, that wasn’t the most recent incident. Early Monday morning, a woman was shot at a METRO bus stop, Westridge close to NRG stadium.
FOX 26 obtained surveillance video from a nearby restaurant, and it shows a man and woman getting into a verbal argument that escalated and poured into the street.
Houston METRO told FOX 26, the man who shot the woman was wearing a pink shirt, shorts, and fled on his bike. Around 12:30 p.m., METRO told FOX 26 the suspect is in custody, after turning himself in and claiming self-defense.
Local perspective:
Juan Little told us that he feels that the METRO isn’t in the wrong, but it’s the unruly passengers that make it hard for everyone else.
“Safety is my thing. I don’t really see nothing wrong with the bus, it’s the people. Because the bus is doing what they are doing and riding people around. I don’t see nothing wrong with that,” Little said.
Andre Blackman told FOX 26, he’s only been in Houston for eight months, and says he’s seen some unruly behavior on the bus.
“I use the METRO because it’s my only source of transportation right now. I would say I’ve been using it ever since I’ve been here and still learning my way around a little bit, “Blackman said. “I can say that the buses are punctual, pretty much clean, but like I said, sometimes you have the derelict causing some trouble at times. Them acting up, them getting up on the bus, and cussing at each other and threatened to beat people up and stuff like that, but that’s been a rare occasion, that doesn’t happen often.”
Blackman added he tends to mind his business when on the bus or at the stop to avoid possible confrontation.
“You want to speak up and say something, but you might get threatened if you do, so I keep quiet. The bus drivers, I can tell too, don’t want to say anything, because they don’t want their lives threatened either, and I guess it’s a catch-22 situation.”
Blackman says he’d like to see more METRO police at transit spots across Houston.
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Leslie DelasBour spoke with several Houston METRO passengers about safety following recent shootings.
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