GO passengers from Hamilton locked in bus with accused killer

TORONTO — A police operation to arrest a man in a murder investigation involved leaving him locked on a Toronto GO Transit bus with dozens of passengers for nearly half an hour in what’s being described as a “harrowing” experience for those on board.

The incident took place when the bus was pulled over on the side of the QEW late Thursday night.

Anne Marie Aikins of Metrolinx — the agency that runs GO Transit — said passengers spent 25 minutes locked inside the bus with a man that police later took into custody.

On Friday afternoon, Durham police announced that 53-year-old Joseph Scott Young, of no fixed address, had been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Tehganni Lewis.

Lewis, 19, died in hospital on Jan. 30, one week after being assaulted in an Oshawa rooming house.

Alexander Ramirez, who says he was one of the passengers, told the Spectator afterward he didn’t understand the police tactics used.

While the officers on scene were professional, Ramirez said he has written a letter to the OPP wanting to know who authorized locking passengers in the bus with the wanted man for 25 minutes.

“It could have very easily transpired into a hostage situation or worse,” he said. “I’m not going to lie, I did slightly feel I was being held as collateral.”

Ramirez, 27, said the man whom police eventually arrested had walked up to the front of the bus and tried to leave; finding the door locked, he lit a cigarette.

Some of the passengers told the man he couldn’t smoke on the bus to which he said something along the lines of, “Oh, it doesn’t matter, it’s over, it’s over,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said he remained calm throughout the incident, which he knew was serious because he saw “two very armed police officers” outside of the bus.

Aikins said many of the bus passengers have voiced concerns about how the situation was handled.

“I’m sure they expected a sleepy ride into the city and instead had a very harrowing experience that clearly is still upsetting them today,” she said. “That’s really quite unfortunate. Some information would certainly have been helpful to them, but decisions get made and I’m not sure of the rationale for the decision.”

Police say the arrest took place on Thursday around 11 p.m. as the bus was travelling from Hamilton to Toronto’s Union Station. Officers from provincial police and Hamilton police made the arrest on behalf of the Durham force.

Aikins said the bus was driving down the QEW when a number of cruisers appeared and pulled the driver over.

The driver was instructed to get off the bus and lock the door, keeping passengers inside, she said.

After 25 minutes, the man was ultimately arrested without incident.