A 55-year-old man was arrested and held on $3 million bail following the fatal shooting of a Culver CityBus driver during a Thursday evening dispute in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Jose Zayas was taken into custody without incident just after 2 p.m. Friday by an LAPD-FBI task force in the 3600 block of Motor Avenue, police announced. Authorities booked him on suspicion of murder, with his bail set at three million dollars. Detectives with the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division’s West Bureau Section led the investigation that identified Zayas within 24 hours of the attack.
According to Officer Charles Miller of the LAPD, the event occurred near the intersection of Mitchell Avenues and South Centinela at approximately 5:15 p.m. Additional accounts placed the scene near Centinela Avenue and Washington Boulevard. According to LAPD Capt. Eric Eppolito, the clash started as a verbal argument once the passenger noticed the vehicle was heading in the wrong direction.
Witnesses told investigators that the passenger pulled a handgun from a backpack during the argument and fired several shots. Multiple bullets were fired in the incident. Responding officers found the victim, described as a man in his 40s, unresponsive in the driver’s seat. His identity has been withheld pending family notification out of respect for the family.
Neighbors Katty and her daughter Isabella, who live at the intersection, were inside their home when they heard what sounded like gunshots. Isabella heard the gunshots first, initially assuming the noise was someone going through the trash, before they went outside a few minutes later and saw passengers running from the bus and firefighters attending to the driver. Katty spoke to a woman on the bus who stated that an unidentified man had shot the driver three times. Katty saw the driver taken off the bus convulsing on a gurney. A witness also told a reporter that a man with a head wound was taken off a Culver CityBus following the shooting.
Dispute Erupts Aboard Bus Near Centinela and Mitchell Avenues
Video from the scene showed at least one apparent bullet hole through a bus window, and the street was blocked off with crime-scene tape amid an ongoing investigation with multiple police officers and patrol vehicles present.
Two other passengers were aboard the vehicle when the gunfire erupted, but both escaped injury. Police said no firearm was recovered at the scene, and the gunman initially fled on foot or by a bicycle taken from the rack on the front of the bus. The suspect was last seen wearing a white shirt.
Police launched a round-the-clock search while reviewing video and witness statements. LAPD Officer Tony Im confirmed Friday that officers had taken a suspect into custody believed to be responsible for the fatal shooting, noting that detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division were actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Culver City Suspends Weekend Transit Services
In response to the killing, Culver City announced the immediate suspension of all Culver CityBus services through the weekend, with regular operations scheduled to resume on Oct. 5. City officials stated that the shutdown was intended to honor the operator and allow transit staff time to grieve.
“We have lost a deeply valued member of our City family to a senseless act of violence. We are grieving the loss of someone who dedicated their time and talents to serving Culver City and who made a meaningful difference through that service every day.”
Mayor Freddy Puza, City of Culver City
Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza added in a statement that behind every city service are people who care deeply about the community, noting that the loss is deeply personal for the Culver CityBus team and will be felt across the entire city organization. In an email sent to The Times late Thursday evening, Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza stated that a cherished member of the city team was lost to a senseless act of violence, noting that the individual’s service was important and the loss will be deeply felt throughout the city. The city deployed crisis support services for its employees following the tragedy and urged the public to show patience and kindness to transit workers when services resume.
Next Steps in the Homicide Investigation
Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
