Security guard stabbed near Hollywood Metro station; suspect fatally shot
LOS ANGELES - A security guard was stabbed and a suspect was fatally shot at a Metro station in East Hollywood Tuesday, the latest in a string of violent incidents prompting safety concerns over Los Angeles' public transit system.
Officers responded to the Vermont/Sunset station near Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital on a report of a stabbing, which turned into a shooting call, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
An investigation revealed a rider on the B line westbound train pulled the emergency brake, for no apparent reason, as the train was closing in on the Vermont Sunset station. Contracted armed security guards on board got the train going again, but as it pulled into the station, he did it again.
When the doors opened, it escalated. The guards followed the man up a set of stairs only open to the public for emergency evacuations.
They got in a fight, one guard used pepper spray, then LAPD says the rider pulled out a knife and stabbed a guard in the thigh.
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Detectives say that’s when one of the guards shot the suspect in self-defense. Bleeding, he escaped through the hatch but collapsed on the sidewalk and died.
The guard was taken to the hospital where he remains in stable condition. The suspect died at the scene.
This incident is just the latest in a wave of violent attacks reported on bus drivers and passengers.
Back in April, there were three separate attacks on Metro buses in the span of a week. In one of those attacks, a Metro bus driver was stabbed while driving his route in Willowbrook.
Following those attacks and the death of a woman who was stabbed on the Metro B Line subway in Studio City, Metro officials expedited efforts to acquire and install protective barriers for drivers on thousands of buses, while also exploring other safety upgrades throughout the system.
However, this precaution is already being questioned after a LADOT bus driver was attacked in South Los Angeles on Sunday - and it was all caught on camera. In that assault, investigators confirmed the suspect was taken into custody and the bus driver did not require hospitalization.
"Usually I put my headphones in and sometimes I do get a little nervous especially just being a woman if I am traveling alone," said Metro rider Vaune Suitt. "I have seen people screaming or causing scenes or doing drugs on the train."
On Friday, Metro bus drivers participated in a sick-out in response to concerns about their safety on the transit system.
LAPD says it’s working with Metro, LASD and Long Beach PD to strategize better safety to help stop incidents before they start.
"Fortunately there were armed security guards on that train. We realize it didn’t prevent what happened today but it is part of developing security plan," Detecftive Aguilar said.
City News Service contributed to this report.