A person was stabbed at a Metro bus stop in Lynwood, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The attack was reported just after 11:15 a.m., the Los Angeles County Fire Department told KTLA, and deputies responded at 11:45 a.m. at the corner of Long Beach Boulevard and Norton Avenue.
While the Sheriff’s Department told KTLA the attack occurred at a bus stop, L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn released a statement saying the victim was stabbed by another passenger while on the bus.
“This attack today on a Metro bus in Lynwood is horrific and yet another grim reason that we need a surge of law enforcement on our transit system,” said Hahn, who is also vice chair of the Metro Board of Directors. “People who rely on Metro every day need to know they can take our buses and trains safely. I appreciate our Sheriff’s deputies who responded to the scene quickly and have detained a person of interest. Thankfully, I am told that the victim’s injuries are not life threatening. I am praying for their quick recovery, and I am so sorry that they had to endure this.”
The condition of the victim and the identity of the attacker have not been disclosed, nor has a possible motive, but fire officials said the victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
This is the latest incident in a spree of violence plaguing public transit in Los Angeles County, and in a statement, Metro said the agency “shares the concerns of our employees and customers about the increased severity of crime we are seeing in our cities and on the Metro system, like the one onboard a Metro bus in the city of Lynwood this afternoon.”
“Metro hopes for a swift and full recovery to the victim and commends the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for their prompt action in apprehending the suspect,” the statement said. “We urge anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the LASD Transit Services Bureau at 323-563-5000. We must work together to stop these crimes before they happen. If you see something, report something by calling 911.”
Sofia Pop Perez and Nidia Becerra contributed to this report.