Murder Charge Filed in Atlanta Commuter Bus Hijacking Incident
ATLANTA (NEWSnet/AP) — A man accused of hijacking a commuter bus in downtown Atlanta, fatally shooting one person and leading police on a chase through three counties, now faces murder and other charges.
Joseph Eric Grier, 39, was taken into custody Tuesday after police got the bus to stop in suburban DeKalb County and was booked into the Fulton County Jail early Wednesday.
He was being held without bond.
Grier is charged with one count of murder, one count of hijacking a motor vehicle, 13 counts of aggravated assault, 14 counts of kidnapping, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime.
Atlanta police responded just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to a report of gunfire on a bus and a possible hostage situation.
When an officer arrived about a minute later and confronted the suspect, the man forced the bus driver to drive off, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.
Television news helicopter footage showed the bus striking multiple vehicles during the subsequent chase and crossing onto the wrong side of a road with police in pursuit. The bus was eventually stopped miles away in neighboring DeKalb County, where news footage showed Grier being led from the bus in handcuffs.
There were 17 people on the bus, including the driver. As officers cleared the bus of passengers, they found an adult victim with a gunshot wound.
Authorities said that person, whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital and died from injuries.
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