A person hijacked a bus in New York Metropolis on Thursday morning earlier than crashing it right into a utility pole, police and Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers stated. No passengers have been on board on the time of the crash, and nobody was severely injured.
The suspect, recognized by police as a 44-year-old man, stopped the bus because it was driving down a street in Queens and claimed he was being chased. After boarding, he pointed what seemed to be a pistol towards the driving force, who subsequently pulled over and let the entire 20 to 25 passengers off the bus.
Police stated the person instructed the driving force to maintain the bus transferring. The driving force then jumped out of the driving force's facet window, and the suspect took the wheel.
The bus crashed lower than a block later, police stated. Each the driving force, who's a 21-year veteran, and suspect have been taken to hospitals with minor accidents.
Police stated throughout their investigation they discovered the supposed weapon on the bus, which turned out to be a BB gun.
"I undoubtedly need to commend the driving force for his actions," Deputy Chief Jerry O'Sullivan stated throughout a Thursday afternoon press convention. "He didn't transfer the bus till everybody was off that bus, after which he continued touring eastbound on Linden Boulevard."
A whole bunch of individuals within the space misplaced energy after the crash, as did a close-by faculty, in response to CBS New York.
Expenses in opposition to the suspect are pending, officers stated. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
"We're very grateful that there have been no critical accidents to passengers or our bus operator," MTA Division of Buses Vice President Frank Annicaro stated Thursday afternoon.