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Police still searching for 2nd suspect in BART shooting that injured 3 bystanders
BART police are still searching for a second suspect in Mondays transfer platform shooting at the Pittsburg/Bay Point station that injured three bystanders. Another suspect was taken into custody on the tracks when they fled in the immediate aftermath of the violence.
PITTSBURG, Calif. - Police are still searching for the second of two shooting suspects involved in gunfire at a BART station's transfer platform in Pittsburg Monday night.
Three bystanders were injured in a shooting that occurred after police said two men got into an argument and the fight escalated to bullets ringing out at the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station at around 5:25 p.m.
One of the suspects was taken into custody in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. BART officials on Tuesday said 22-year-old Xavier Johnson of Pittsburg was caught on the trackway as he ran after the violence.
Police did not share any other information about the second suspect who remains unaccounted for.
BART shooting aftermath
What they're saying:
Tuesday saw the return of the normal hustle and bustle at the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station.
A police presence nearly 24 hours after the shooting remained at the station.
Transit safety experts say it's a good first step, but not the only factor in combating crime on this or any other mass transit agency.
"When it comes to security, unfortunately, it's a much more dynamic issue because you're dealing with individuals perpetrating crimes against other individuals," said Dan Goodrich, a senior transportation security analyst with the Mineta Transportation Institute.
He said when people are in confined spaces, like on public transit such as commuter trains, buses and planes, it can lead to one person breaching another's personal space.
"Proxemics…it's how human beings interact with each other – how much distance we give each other," Goodrich said.
Commuters we spoke with backed up that notion.
"People run to be the first at the door and what ends up happening is people fighting to be the first one off and on the train," said Roman J. a BART commuter.
"Stuff like this happens all the time. But never really this close to home," said BART rider Rhashad, who only gave his first name.
"If we end up closing distance with somebody, we end up getting closer to them. Under certain circumstances, we can set certain people's reactions off and that's just an inevitability," said Goodrich.
"People are so short-tempered these days and a lot of people are carrying weapons on, and they don't use judgment," said one BART rider, who only gave the name, Gabi.
By the numbers:
Crime statistics show violent crime on BART has dropped dramatically by nearly a third over the course of the past year.
While the stats are encouraging, for many passengers, the real world need of situational awareness being as crucial as knowing the route schedules.
"It seems random. You never know where or when something's gonna happen," said one BART commuter who only gave the name, Mimi. "On my end, I just stay visual because it could happen to anybody."
What you can do:
If you have any information about Monday's shooting at this BART station, you're asked to contact BART police, as that agency spearheads the investigation.