Gunman who hijacked Texas bus dies in shootout

Spike strip brings chase to an end on Bush Turnpike

DALLAS — Three officers were wounded after a gunman hijacked a DART bus Sunday morning in Richardson, prompting a chase that stretched across several cities in North Texas before he was fatally shot.

The officers’ wounds were not life-threatening, and the driver and the only other person aboard the bus were not injured.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit officers were alerted about 11 a.m. that the gunman boarded the bus on Buckingham Road in Richardson and started

shooting, shattering several windows.

The gunman, whose name has not been released, forced the driver to lead police on a chase through Garland, into Rowlett, then into Rockwall and back to Rowlett, Rowlett police spokesman Cruz Hernandez said.

Rockwall police used a spike strip to disable the bus and end the chase on the President George Bush Turnpike about noon, officials said.

The gunman left the bus and was shot as he exchanged gunfire with officers. Garland police said he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

During the pursuit, the gunman fired from inside the bus at officers who were shooting back. A DART officer and a Garland officer were shot, and a Rowlett officer was injured when his window was shot out. All three were expected to recover.

Another Rowlett officer’s car window was shot out, but she was not hurt, Hernandez said.

“You could not have asked for a worse situation.”

—Pedro Barineau, Garland Police

Authorities have not determined the gunman’s motive for hijacking the bus, Garland police spokesman Pedro Barineau said.

“You could not have asked for a worse situation,” he said at a news conference. “Somebody has taken a driver of a bus hostage, is shooting at the police as we are pursuing them, and there are people around all over the roads. We were very fortunate — as of now, we have not received any reports that anyone else was injured.”

Authorities shut down the turnpike between Highway 66 and Liberty Grove Road for their investigation.

“We want to make sure we comb the entire investigation properly so we can provide the proper information to the public,” Barineau said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI will be working on the case.