Amtrak bus driver hospitalized after shooting in Downtown Fresno, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno Police Department responded to an unusual call around midnight: an Amtrak bus shot at while the driver was inside.

"For the Amtrak bus itself, I have never heard that in almost my 30 years I have been here, especially at that location," says Fresno Police Lt. Larry Bowlan.

Lt. Bowlan says officers arrived at the Amtrak station in Downtown Fresno and found the Amtrak bus on Santa Fe with at least three bullet holes piercing the windows.

He says one of the bullets grazed the cheek of the driver, who was simply cleaning the bus.

The driver took swift action that possibly saved his life.

"He was struck, he immediately made his way to the back of the bus, exited through an emergency exit and then hid," Lt. Bowlan said. "A very scary incident for this person, and something we would not want anyone to go through."

The driver was taken to Community Regional Medical Center and released shortly after.

Prior to the shooting, he had dropped off several passengers.

Lt. Bowlan says the incident could have ended in tragedy if it had been loaded with people.

"We are very thankful there were no other people on the bus because even for the driver, this could have been much more tragic," he said.

He says while some incidents are not always preventable, his biggest piece of advice is to be hyper vigilant at all times.

"If someone were put in that situation, what we would ask them to do is get as low as they can on the bus because the windows are not going to be a protective shield," Lt. Bowlan said.

Witnesses saw the shooter running from the scene, holding a gun, and described him as a man in dark clothing.

Lt. Bowlan is asking anyone with additional information to contact the police department.

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