Bus riders disarm gunman after shooting
LOS ANGELES -- A man cursing and muttering incoherently opened fire aboard a packed Greyhound bus in Southern California early Monday, killing one person and wounding five others in a seemingly random attack before passengers disarmed him, authorities and a witness said.
The driver of the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco bus pulled off onto the shoulder, where some of those aboard led the killer off the vehicle, and he was quickly taken into custody, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Brian Pennings said. The driver continued on to the next exit as passengers performed first aid on the wounded, he said.
The motive for the shooting was not immediately known, and there was no indication the gunman knew any of the victims, Pennings said. He said several ammunition magazines were discovered along with the gun.
The bus was traveling on Interstate 5 near the small mountain community of Lebec, about 70 miles northwest of Los Angeles, when the passenger started shooting with a semi-automatic handgun shortly before 1:30 a.m. Forty-three people were aboard, including 6- and 8-year-old children, who were not hurt.
The dead passenger was identified as a 51-year-old woman from Colombia. Two victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, Pennings said.
No immediate charges were brought against the the suspect, whose name was not released.
Greyhound, which prohibits passengers from bringing guns, explosives or dangerous chemicals on board its buses or in their luggage, declined to answer questions about security on its buses.
15th inmate dies in Mississippi prison
JACKSON, Miss. -- Another inmate has died in Mississippi, bringing the total to at least 15 in the state prison system since late December.
Jesus Garcia, 39, was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday at the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, according to a statement from Management & Training Corporation, the private company that operates the prison.
A company spokesman, Issa Arnita, said that medical staff members unsuccessfully tried life-saving measures, and the cause and manner of Garcia's death are under investigation.
"There were no obvious signs of assault," Arnita said in a statement Sunday.
Several inmates have died at publicly and privately run prisons in Mississippi since late December. Most died at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, and many of their deaths occurred amid outbursts of violence.
More than two dozen inmates are suing the state over prison conditions.
Garcia was serving a 20-year sentence on a capital rape conviction from northern Mississippi's DeSoto County, according to state Department of Corrections records.
Oklahoma gun-carry law targeted again
OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma state lawmaker and a group advocating for more restrictive gun laws began another attempt Monday to overturn a new state law that allows people to carry firearms without a background check or training.
Oklahoma City Rep. Jason Lowe, a Democrat, and members of the group Moms Demand Action announced their latest plan outside the state Capitol after filing their petition to block the law. Once the petition has been processed and a challenge period has passed, supporters will have 90 days to gather the roughly 95,000 signatures needed to put the question on the ballot.
The proposal, State Question 809, would generally restore handgun permitting requirements that were in place before the Legislature approved so-called permitless carry in 2019. Also dubbed constitutional carry by its supporters, the legislation signed by GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt last year allowed most adults to carry firearms, concealed or openly, without any background check or training.
The same group attempted a state-wide veto referendum last year, but fell short of the number of signatures needed to put the question on the ballot. Lowe said supporters will have more time to gather signatures.
2 women killed in Texas dorm gunfire
COMMERCE, Texas -- Two women were killed and a child was wounded in a shooting Monday morning at a university dormitory in Texas, officials said.
Texas A&M University-Commerce Police Chief Bryan Vaughn said officers responding to a call at 10:17 a.m. found two dead women in a room at Pride Rock residence hall. He said a boy about 2 years old was also in the room and was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition.
Vaughn did not take questions after a news conference and did not say if the women were students. Officials have not identified the suspected shooter.
Classes were canceled for the day at the university located in the city about 65 miles northeast of Dallas.
-- Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports
A Section on 02/04/2020