On March 2, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred on a Miami-Dade Transit bus in Florida City, Florida, resulting in the death of 25-year-old Martavis Cannon from Homestead, FL. The incident began when two passengers, Patrick Smith and Martavis Cannon, got into a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation while the bus was stopped to pick up passengers.
As the altercation intensified, the bus driver took swift action to ensure the safety of the other passengers. The driver instructed everyone to exit the bus and called the police. Despite this, the situation turned deadly. Smith, who was 28 years old, pulled out a gun from his backpack and shot Cannon multiple times after a brief struggle. Surveillance video showed that at the time of the shooting, Cannon had his hands up, indicating he was not posing an immediate threat.
The shooting occurred in the back of the bus along the Busway’s northbound lanes. Fire rescue personnel arrived and pronounced Cannon dead at the scene. Smith fled the scene on foot but later surrendered himself at the Florida City Police Station. He was subsequently transported to the Miami-Dade Police Department Homicide Bureau, where he was charged with second-degree murder.
Detectives reported that the video evidence contradicted Smith's claim of self-defense. The video showed that Cannon had his hands up when Smith fired the gun, striking him in the chest, abdomen, and both arms. There were 14 spent casings found at the scene, and a Diamondback AM2 semi-automatic pistol was recovered.
Smith was booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and faced charges of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon. The Miami-Dade Police Department praised the bus driver for his quick thinking and actions that helped ensure the safety of the other passengers during the incident.
