LOS ANGELES—A 30-year-old man was charged May 20 with murder for allegedly shooting a fellow passenger on a Metro bus in Commerce.
The murder charge against Winston Apolinario Rivera includes an allegation of the use of a firearm in a crime. He could face 35 years to life in prison if convicted, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Mr. Rivera is charged with the shooting that occurred shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday in the 6200 block of Slauson Avenue. Sheriff’s officials said Mr. Rivera and the victim—identified by the District Attorney’s Office as Juan Luis Gomez-Ramirez—were both passengers on the bus. Prosecutors said that when the bus came to a stop, Mr. Rivera began walking toward the rear exit, but stopped behind Mr. Gomez-Ramirez and shot him in the head.
Mr. Rivera then exited the bus and ran away. Sheriff’s officials said he was captured a short distance away near Peachtree Street and Eastern Avenue.
There was no immediate word on what may have motivated the shooting. Mr. Rivera was being held in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in downtown Los Angeles on June 7.
The shooting occurred just hours after Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board of Directors Chair Karen Bass said she had ordered an “immediate surge” in public safety personnel on buses and trains to increase their visibility and deter crime in response to a spate of violence on the transit system.
“The spike in violent crime has been absolutely unacceptable,” Bass said at a Thursday morning news conference.
