A routine CapMetro ride through South Austin turned into a crime scene Friday when a man allegedly stabbed two passengers on a No. 3 route bus along the 2000 block of South Lamar Boulevard, leaving one rider in critical condition. The attack triggered a large police response, with officers swarming the area, detaining a suspect on scene, and sending both victims to nearby hospitals.
Police later identified the suspect as 54-year-old Rogelio Martinez. According to investigators, officers found him still on the bus with blood on his hands and clothing when they arrived. A witness told detectives that she and a friend had been talking about the Bible moments before Martinez stood up and suddenly launched the attack, according to arrest documents. Surveillance video and the affidavit are expected to be key pieces of evidence as prosecutors build the case.
Affidavit And Video Outline The Attack
An arrest affidavit and bus surveillance footage reviewed by detectives describe Martinez first stabbing one man a single time in the back, then pulling the knife out and stabbing him three more times as the victim raised his hands in an attempt to protect himself. A second passenger who stepped in to help was stabbed in the right leg and suffered cuts to his hands. That rider was taken to South Austin Hospital, while the first victim was rushed to Dell Seton Medical Center in critical condition…