KTLA

Transient hijacks Metro bus, causes crash into Ritz-Carlton in Los Angeles

A man with a BB gun allegedly hijacked a Metro bus early Thursday morning, causing multiple collisions with other vehicles before the bus eventually crashed into a hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The incident occurred around midnight when officers responded to a report that a Metro bus on Line 2 had been hijacked at gunpoint, Metro officials confirmed in a statement.


The male suspect forced the driver to travel to multiple locations, during which time the bus was involved in multiple collisions.

One of the incidents, captured on surveillance video, occurred as the bus traveled through a red light on West 11th Street and South Grand Avenue.

Video showed a vehicle traveling through the intersection hit the side of the bus as it ran the light. The motorist’s vision may also have been blocked by another bus slowing down in the next lane.

A few blocks later, the bus slammed into the side of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at West Olympic Boulevard and Georgia Street.

The bus went partially through the wall of the building, apparently damaging a vault inside the hotel.

The bus driver and one other person, injured during one of the vehicle collisions with the bus, were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, Metro officials said.

No passengers were riding on the bus at the time of the hijacking.

The suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Anai Lindsey, was captured and arrested by Los Angeles Police Department officers after fleeing the scene.

Police described Lindsey as unhoused and said he was facing kidnapping charges.

The weapon, which turned out to be a BB gun, was recovered on the bus.

Anyone with further information about the incident was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.