On September 25, 2024, Anthony Rivera, a 48-year-old resident of Los Angeles, was fatally shot during a harrowing incident involving the hijacking of a Metro bus. Rivera, a former National Guardsman and parking lot attendant at Dodger Stadium, was on his way home from work when the tragedy occurred.
The incident began around 12:30 a.m. near the intersection of Figueroa Street and Vernon Avenue in South Los Angeles. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Lamont Campbell, boarded the bus armed with a semi-automatic handgun. Shortly after boarding, Campbell allegedly shot Rivera multiple times, resulting in his death. Campbell then held the bus driver at gunpoint, demanding he continue driving, and threatened other passengers, even robbing one.
The bus driver, exhibiting remarkable composure, activated a silent alarm that displayed emergency messages on the bus's electronic sign, alerting authorities to the situation. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers initiated a slow-speed pursuit that lasted approximately an hour, during which some passengers managed to escape. The pursuit concluded near South Alameda Street and 6th Street after officers deployed spike strips to immobilize the bus. SWAT officers then intervened, deploying flash-bang devices to distract Campbell, allowing the driver to escape through a window. Campbell was subsequently apprehended and taken into custody without further incident.
Following his arrest, Campbell was charged with multiple felonies, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping during carjacking, carjacking, assault with a semi-automatic handgun, robbery, evading with reckless disregard, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Prosecutors have alleged that Campbell personally used a handgun in the commission of these crimes. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 90 years and eight months to life in prison.
The tragic death of Anthony Rivera has prompted calls for enhanced safety measures on public transportation systems in Los Angeles. Metro officials have expressed their commitment to improving security for both passengers and employees, with plans to install protective barriers for bus drivers and explore weapons detection technology to prevent similar incidents in the future.
