Injured Bus Driver Fired After Being Shot by a Violent Passenger
An injured bus driver who is recovering from a gunshot wound inflicted by a violent passenger now faces an unexpected blow: termination from his job.
CONFRONTATION ON THE BUS
Bus driver David Fullard was approached by a bus passenger named Omarri Shariff Tobias while driving his route. Tobias asked Fullard to let him off at an unscheduled spot. Fullard denied his request and that's when things got ugly.
Brandon Hunter, a spokesperson for the transit company explained after Fulard refused to stop the bus, "a two-minute escalation of verbal altercation, followed."
A SHOOTOUT INSIDE THE BUS
Video footage shows Tobias walking up to Fullard as he is driving and the two men pull out their guns. Glass shattered in the bus as the two men began shooting at each other. Besides the men, two frightened passengers were also on the bus during the shootout.
Video shows Tobias running to the back of the bus, meanwhile, one innocent passenger is seen crawling in the aisle, trying to stay safe and get away from the violent attack. When the bus finally came to a stop, one of the bystanders on the bus was able to run and get out.
Fullard reenters the bus, fires shots, and swiftly exits. He decides to make one last move, by firing his gun once more into the bus and then makes his final exit.
BOTH MEN HOSPITALIZED WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Both Fullard and Tobias were taken to the hospital. Fullard was released to recover at home, while Tobias continued to be treated with 'life-threatening injuries.' Tobias is charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, communicating threats, and carrying a concealed firearm, according to police.
TERMINATION FOLLOWING THE ENCOUNTER
Hunter revealed that Fullard was terminated following the shooting, "We believe that the situation could have been de-escalated because the bus operators are trained on de-escalation," Hunter explained. "And so just because the operator wasn't at a bus stop, he could de-escalate it by letting the gentleman off the bus if he could have pulled the bus over safely to let him off."
However, Ken Harris, Fullard's attorney defends his client's actions, stating, "Fullard feared for his life."