Maniac Hijacks Georgia Bus with 17 on Board, Fatally Shoots Hostage

ATLANTA — A harrowing incident unfolded in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon when a gunman hijacked a commuter bus, leading to a high-speed chase that spanned multiple counties and resulted in the tragic death of one passenger. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Joseph Grier, a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history, was apprehended at the scene.

The ordeal began around 4:30 p.m. when Atlanta police received a 911 call reporting a gunman on a Gwinnett County Transit bus at 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. The caller indicated that the gunman was holding hostages and had possibly discharged a weapon. The call was abruptly disconnected, but subsequent calls from a family member of a passenger and another passenger on the bus provided crucial information to law enforcement.

Upon arrival, officers confronted Grier, who was brandishing a weapon and forcing the bus driver to continue driving. This initiated a chaotic police chase through rush-hour traffic, with the bus swerving between lanes, sideswiping vehicles, and causing panic among other drivers. The chase extended through Fulton, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties, with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Atlanta Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, and local authorities, collaborating to bring the situation under control.

Aerial footage captured the bus barreling through traffic, colliding with several cars, and even crossing into oncoming lanes. At one point, all lanes of Interstate 85 were shut down as officers attempted various tactics to stop the bus. Despite efforts to employ a PIT maneuver, the bus continued its erratic path until spike strips were deployed, eventually immobilizing the vehicle near Hugh Howell Road in Tucker, approximately 20 miles from the initial location.

As the bus came to a halt, passengers were seen disembarking with their hands raised. SWAT team members quickly surrounded the bus, and first responders initiated CPR on a critically injured passenger who had been shot by Grier during the turmoil. Tragically, the victim succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital. The identity of the deceased has not been disclosed.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum and Mayor Andre Dickens held a press conference to provide details of the incident. Schierbaum confirmed that Grier, a resident of Stone Mountain, Georgia, had a criminal record with 19 prior arrests and was a convicted felon. He should not have been in possession of a firearm. The bus driver, who had a gun held to his head throughout the chase, was described as "shaken up" but unharmed.

Mayor Dickens expressed his condolences to the victim's family, stating, "My heart goes out to the individual who is deceased at this time." He also commended the bus driver's commitment to the passengers, noting that his actions would be recognized later.

The high-speed chase caused significant disruption, with numerous vehicles along the bus's path needing to be towed after being hit. Dennis Durham, a bystander, recounted the chaos, saying, "The bus came right in front of us and knocked through a lot of these cars, making them collide. I saw so many police cars in so many different areas my head was spinning."

John Gilbert, a resident of suburban Dacula, shared his wife's harrowing experience during the incident. Paulette Gilbert, who takes the bus to and from downtown Atlanta for work three days a week, contacted her husband from the bus and reported that one man had shot another. Fearing for her safety, Gilbert advised his wife to hang up the phone and remain quiet. He waited anxiously for approximately 40 to 45 minutes before his wife finally contacted him once she had safely disembarked from the bus.

The joint investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Authorities are working to piece together the events leading up to the hijacking and the subsequent chase.

Chief Schierbaum thanked everyone involved for their efforts in bringing the incident to a close as quickly and peacefully as possible. "You saw the collective effort and dedication of law enforcement working together today to save lives, to rescue hostages, to make sure this ended," he said.

As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event, questions remain about how Grier, a known felon, was able to obtain a firearm and what motivated his actions. The investigation continues, with authorities committed to uncovering the full story behind this shocking incident.