The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says a Charlotte Area Transit System bus driver will not be charged after exchanging gunfire with a passenger.
Last month, CATS bus driver David Fullard got into a confrontation with passenger Omarri Sharrif Tobias on the Route 56 bus. The bus was near the Charlotte Premium Outlet Mall when Tobias requested the bus to let him off at a location that wasn’t a designated stop.
After Fullard refused to stop the bus, the argument continued and Tobias approached Fullard. Security footage released by CATS showed Tobias drawing a gun This led to both men firing shots at one another and left both wounded. Both are expected to recover. Two other passengers on the bus were not hit.
Following CMPD’s investigation, Tobias was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
Shortly after, Fullard was fired from RATP Dev, the private company that operates buses for CATS. Employees for the transit organization are prohibited from having guns while at work.
As a result of the incident, CATS said it plans to double the amount of money it will spend on security and new de-escalation training for bus drivers.
