A Charlotte bus driver got in a shootout with a passenger after the passenger threatened him with a gun.
The driver pulled is own gun and fired at the man, Omar Shariff Tobias, a convicted felon with a gun.
Tobias was shot in the midsection and fled the area.
The Charlotte bus company fired the driver saying, “We don’t want anyone possessing weapons on our vehicles.”
The company does not want their drivers to be armed. What a dangerous response.
ABC Local reported:
There was a dramatic shootout on a public bus in North Carolina.
The Charlotte-area transit system released surveillance video from the May 18 incident. According to investigators, the shooting started after a passenger got into an argument with the bus driver.
The ride had been uneventful until a man with a hoodie got on. Omarri Shariff Tobias allegedly tried to ride without paying. Words were exchanged with David Fullard, the driver.
At some point, the 22-year-old Tobias asked Fullard to be let off the bus, but Fullard refused, as they had not arrived at a bus stop. Tobias continued to argue and made several threats, before he pulled a gun on the driver.
Fullard drew a handgun of his own and opened fire. The shootout between the men was captured on multiple interior cameras. Passengers ducked for cover while Tobias made a hasty retreat down the center aisle on his stomach.
Tobias then took cover against the rear exit beside another passenger. Fullard got up from his seat, took aim at Tobias and fired three more shots.
Fullard pursued Tobias off the bus, and fired a last shot at him, which concluded the exchange. Fullard was shot in the arm and is recovering at home, while Tobias was shot in the abdomen. He got out of the hospital and went to jail on numerous charges.
The bus company fired Fullard and in a statement, said it is against company policy for an employee to have a weapon on its property or while doing their job.