AUSTIN (KXAN) — Attorneys representing the family of Akshay Gupta, who police say was stabbed “without provocation” on a CapMetro bus in May, have filed a lawsuit against Keolis, CapMetro’s operating partner, and the driver who operated the bus when the stabbing happened.
Last month, the man charged in the stabbing, Deepak Kandel, was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was committed to a mental health facility, according to Travis County court documents. If he regains competency, his criminal justice process will continue.
The stabbing happened the evening of May 14 near South Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road. According to an affidavit, Kandel admitted to the shooting and told police he stabbed Gupta because he looked like his uncle, who had died previously.
Lawsuit claims bus driver acted negligently
“The Gupta family wants to prevent this from happening to anybody else,” said Aaron von Flatern, the attorney working on this civil case. The suit claims negligence on behalf of the driver – who is not named in the suit – because they let Kandel onto the bus without paying a fare…