In a shocking encounter on a moving Charlotte transit bus earlier this month, a bus driver and a passenger engaged in a firearm exchange that resulted in injuries to both parties, as per reports from transit authorities.
The dramatic episode unfolded when a passenger, identified as Omarri Shariff Tobias, asked to get off the bus between stops while the bus was still in motion. The driver, David Fullard, asked Tobias to wait until the authorized stop. An argument ensued, which quickly escalated when Tobias brandished a firearm.
In response, Fullard also drew a gun, with both men subsequently discharging their weapons. Brandon Hunter, a company spokesperson, informed that the sequence of shots and who fired first remains uncertain.
The gunfire resulted in Fullard sustaining an injury to his arm, while Tobias was struck in the abdomen. Surveillance footage captured the intensity of the encounter. The video shows Fullard halting the bus, and a wounded Tobias moving towards the back of the bus. Fullard discharged his firearm once more as he, Tobias, and another passenger evacuated the bus through different doors.
The transit system has reported that both Fullard and Tobias are stable and expected to recover. The other two passengers onboard were unscathed.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has charged Tobias with assault with a deadly weapon, communicating threats, and concealed firearm possession. Meanwhile, the legal consequences for Fullard are yet to be determined.
Fullard has since been fired from his driving position.
As the investigation continues, Tobias remains detained with a bond set at $250,000.