WASHINGTON — An apology and an investigation. There is new reaction from Metro in response to a disturbing video showing a group of teenagers attacking a woman on the W4 bus. The victim in this case received a personal phone call and apology from Metro's General Manager Randy Clarke. Now, investigators are trying to determine if the bus driver violated policy.
WUSA9 censored the video before airing it, but even with blurred faces and beeped-out curse words, it is hard to watch.
A woman standing by the back door of the W4 bus surrounded by teenagers yelling, cursing, and throwing bottles at her. She was later pushed, dragged, and thrown off the bus.
"I was disgusted by it because I ride the bus with my children all the time,” said Serena McArthur.
“I thought it was terrible,” added Terri Lucey. “How can they do that to a woman?”
WUSA9 spoke to the young mother on the phone who recorded the video. She wanted to remain anonymous fearing for her own family’s safety.
“The only way I knew to help was to record it because I knew I didn't want to put my babies in no type of harm,” she told us sobbing into the telephone.
She said it was Monday around 4 o'clock in the afternoon when she boarded the crowded bus with her young children, ages 2 and 7. As they approached the back of the bus, she said the woman gave up her seat so she could sit with her children. She said the woman then politely asked the teenagers to stop cursing. That's when she said things escalated.
“They started verbally attacking her and throwing bottles at her, calling her out her name,” she said crying. “She never turned around to curse them out or defend herself. She just stood there saying, ‘thank you, Lord.’ I feel as though if she was not calling on God it would have been worse.”
Through the screaming and chaos, you can hear the woman repeatedly asking the bus driver to stop. The attack seemingly lasted for several minutes until the bus eventually stops and the teens, with the assistance of a man onboard, drag the woman and eventually throw her out of the back door of the bus. The video then shows the doors closing, the bus pulling off and proceeding on its route.
Wednesday, WUSA9 visited that stop on Alabama Avenue and spoke to another W4 bus driver. She did not identify herself but said a driver should stop in that situation and alert the police. In fact, a Metro spokesperson said if a driver is aware of a dangerous situation they can stop when safe to do so and use the onboard alarm system to call for the police.
Metro Transit Police are investigating if the driver, in this case, followed policy.
The spokesperson’s statement further explains below:
While it is not possible to have MTPD officers aboard all 1,500 buses in the fleet, MTPD routinely patrols buses throughout the region and uses data to focus on routes with a high number of incidents. We encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses unlawful behavior to contact MTPD immediately by calling 202-962-2121, texting MyMTPD (696873), or calling 911.
“Metro or somebody should be held accountable for it and for the safety of the passengers on the bus,” said McArthur.
“Once (metro) looks at the video and find who they are they should give them citations like $3 or $400 and they probably won't do that no more,” said Lucey.
WUSA9 contacted the school systems to see if they recognize the young people. DC Public Schools referred us back to Metro Transit and its investigation. DC Charter Schools said they’re looking into it.
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