Bus driver recovering after being shot in neck by stray bullet

CHARLOTTE — A city bus driver is recovering Friday night after he was struck by a stray bullet in a northwest Charlotte neighborhood.

At the scene, Channel 9′s Glenn Counts said he saw the Charlotte Area Transit System bus with a hole in the windshield. About a dozen police cars lined Lasalle Street a officers appeared to be investigating the shooting.

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Shooting scene at LaSalle Street and English Drive in northwest Charlotte

Investigators said people in two cars were “engaged in a conflict” when a stray bullet went into the bus, hitting the driver.

The bus driver was alert when he was taken to Atrium Health Main with life-threatening injuries.

Friends told Counts a couple of hours later that the driver was out of surgery after being shot in the neck. He is expected to be OK.

A witness said the car with the gunman was coming from the opposite direction with a passenger hanging out the window and shooting at the bus.

Nearby resident Keiron Knight and his mother heard the shots and went outside to see what was happening.

“I was in the living room, and she was in the living room and we heard the shots -- like four shots,” said Knight. “Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow.”

A witness, who didn’t want to be identified, saw part of what happened.

“I was sitting in the house helping my grandmother put up Christmas decorations and I heard three shots go off,” the witness said. “I looked out the window and saw a car take off down the street and the bus stopped in the middle of the road.”

Many neighbors were upset by the recklessness of this situation.

“It’s really upsetting because every one of these houses on this corner has senior citizens living in them, so that’s really sad,” a neighbor said.

No one else on the bus was hurt, CMPD said. The shooting was an isolated incident, and it appeared the bus was not the intended target.

CATS officials said safety remains priority No. 1.

“We are deeply shaken by today’s incident. It is a stark reminder of the pervasive issue of gun violence in our society,” said Brent Cagle, CATS interim CEO. “Our priority remains the safety and well-being of transit operators and passengers. We are committed to working with community leaders and law enforcement to address these challenges. Our thoughts are with the injured operator and their family. Such incidents underscore the need for a collective effort to create safer communities for everyone.”

Police have not yet shared information about suspects in the case.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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