Woman assaulted on DC bus as bystanders fail to intervene
Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson reports on the brutal attack of a woman riding the bus in Washington, D.C.
The Metro Transit Police have arrested two adults in connection with the assault of a woman on a Washington, D.C., Metrobus.
In a Friday news release, authorities named the two suspects as 27-year-old Emoni Hubbard and 35-year-old Terry Barnes.
Hubbard is from southeast D.C., and Barnes is from Wilson, North Carolina.
Video taken from cameras on the W4 Metrobus, along with video from a passenger who witnessed the attack, helped detectives identify the suspects.
DISTURBING VIDEO SHOWS GROUP DRAGGING WOMAN OFF A DC METROBUS
An investigation was launched after the witness video surfaced, and the Metro Transit Police said they were later contacted by the victim, Kyla Thurston, to report the incident.
Thurston said she got into a verbal altercation with a group of juveniles at around 4 p.m. ET on Monday after asking them to stop cursing.
The situation escalated, and the group began to hurl objects at her before physically pushing her off the bus at one of the stops.
The suspects are among eight individuals believed to have taken part in the attack, including the juveniles.
An internal investigation found the bus driver did not follow proper procedure, and police said appropriate administrative action will be taken.
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Police said that a bulletin reminding all Metrobus operators of protocols for onboard disturbances was circulated this week and that the department is stepping up patrols on the W4.
The arrests come just days after FOX 5 obtained video of the assault and spoke with Thurston, who said the bus kept moving during the attack.
A Metrobus operator drives in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 24, 2018. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
"The bus driver made no attempt to stop the bus. He didn't alert local authorities or anything to my defense," she said. "Even after I'm yelling at the top of my lungs, ‘Stop the bus, let me off the bus,' the bus driver never stopped."
"The city has dumped a ton of resources into making opportunities available for our young people so that we don't find them involved in these types of situations or these types of incidents – especially violent incidents," D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee III told the station. "Everyone has a right to be safe in the community, and when we identify these types of things, we really have to get to the root of why they did what they did, but more importantly, make sure that in addition to accountability that there's also opportunity for those young people."
A Metrobus stop in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 24, 2018. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke tweeted Friday, crediting Attorney General Karl Racine for bringing more attention to the incident.
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"I appreciate the quick work of MTPD in arresting the two adults involved in this reprehensible and unacceptable act on a Metrobus earlier this week," he said in a statement. "I personally called the victim to apologize for what happened. This type of behavior cannot be tolerated on Metro or anywhere. We need the help of partners, guardians, parents, schools and community leaders to prevent this type of behavior."
Police said additional arrests are possible in the incident.
Fox News' Pilar Arias contributed to this report.
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