DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police are searching for a man who boarded a city bus and shot a passenger on Wednesday morning.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Watch Brittany Toolis' video report below:
The shooting occurred on 8 Mile Road between Mt. Elliott and Sherwood streets, just one day after a separate stabbing incident on another Detroit Department of Transportation bus.
The violence has left many DDOT passengers on edge, particularly young Detroiters who rely on public transportation.
Ashyira Kenney, a high school senior who was on the bus during Wednesday's shooting, described the terrifying moment.
"I just hear a little bit of commotion, I look back, the man that got shot he's like 'yeah you know what's up with me.' And I happened to turn around and the man reached into his bag, pulled a gun and shot one shot," Kenney said.
Hear more from Ashyira Kenney in the video player below:
Kenney was headed to summer school at Chandler Park Academy High School when the shooting occurred, cutting her classes short before they even began.
"He got shot right about in his chest because when I got off, I seen the exit hole in his back," Kenney said. "It's like at this moment, that's all that's been playing through my head was like hearing the shot and seeing someone get shot, because I ain't never seen nothing like that."
Police have released an image of the suspect they're searching for. Officers recovered the suspect's backpack, and the gun believed to have been used in the shooting.
The victim is expected to recover.
The shooting came just hours after another violent incident on a DDOT bus. At 7 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue on Tuesday evening, an argument between a rider and a bus driver over fare escalated when the rider spit on the driver. Police say the driver responded by stabbing the man several times.
Khamari Simmons, 20, regularly rides that bus route to work as his only means of transportation.
"I was just lucky I wasn't anywhere in the vicinity at the time," Simmons said.
Watch our previous story about the shooting incident below:
When asked if he ever feels unsafe, Simmons replied, "Yeah. It's a lot of crazy people everywhere, especially transportation, in this area too. It's normally people speaking to me, starting stuff, just talking crazy and stuff, but I try my best to ignore it."
In response to the violence, Detroit police are increasing security measures on city buses.
"You can expect a lot more bus boardings from the Detroit police over the next few hours. We have a transit unit. We took over the DDOT system as far as the public safety aspect, but we're gonna add to that, add capacity,” Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald said. “You're gonna see random bus boardings. We gotta make sure it's safe. You know, from the stabbing on the bus last night now to this, this is just too much. This is our main public set of transportation for our folks to get to and from, and we gotta keep it safe."
For Shacara Kenney, Ashyira's mother, the safety of DDOT buses is crucial as they depend on public transportation.
"I don't have a car to get her around, so that's how she gets to school or wherever she's gotta go. She catches the bus," Shacara Kenney said.
Hear more from Shacara Kenney in the video player below:
DDOT spokeswoman Linda Vinyard provided a statement addressing the incidents:
"DDOT takes the safety of its riders and drivers very seriously. In 2024, we transitioned to the Detroit Police Department providing security on our buses, we have installed barriers protecting the driver, and metal detectors at our transit centers. These actions have the same goal — to put safety first and foremost.
"Following these two unfortunate incidents, DDOT leadership has met with union leadership, and came to an agreement that DPD will be providing additional security on buses, but in uniform and under cover. Our goal to keep riders and drivers as safe as possible remains paramount."
Anyone with information on the shooting or the suspect's whereabouts is asked to call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
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