Los Angeles Metro officials are meeting Thursday after three people were violently attacked in the past week aboard public buses and trains.
Despite spending millions of dollars on efforts to secure public transportation and numbers showing a decrease in violent crime on the transit system, the dilemma of how to stop the trend of gruesome attacks on passengers and Metro operators has prompted officials to declare an emergency.
“Incidents have occurred with no prompting or warning and have created an environment of increased risk and trauma as assailants are resorting to the use of deadly weapons such as guns and knives. Given this crisis situation, it is imperative that Metro retrofit all buses with fully enclosed barriers,” a senior official stated.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Elliot Tramel Nowden, 45, the man who allegedly stabbed 67-year-old Mirna Soza Arauz to death inside a train, is being charged with murder .
“If convicted as charged, he faces life without the possibility of parole. He’s being held on no bail,” Gascón said during a news conference. “We want to express our deepest condolences to Mrs. Arauz’s family. This is truly a tragedy. This should never have occurred.”