An unexpected stray bullet punctured a MTA bus in the Bronx one quiet Saturday, nicking a female passenger and generating a hail of glass that led to the injury of two other women on board. Stationed at the intersection of Westchester and Tinton Avenues in Melrose, the bus was merely an innocent bystander in a conflict taking place around 3:20pm. Unbeknownst to the occupants of the bus, a man was engaging in gunfire aimed at a vehicle departing from a grocery store based on Union Avenue near E. 156th Street, law enforcement officials report.
Tragically, one bullet strayed from its intended direction and found a new course into the city bus. One woman, aged 59, was grazed by the bullet in her chest. Two others, both 67-years-old, were caught in a wave of broken glass. Having encountered this unexpected ordeal, all three women were promptly transported to Lincoln Hospital where they are expected to make a full recovery.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooter had been involved in a dispute with another person near the grocery store on Union Street before he opened fire. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, the gunman remained elusive well into Saturday night, evading capture by law enforcement.
In a statement, NYC Transit President Richard Davey expressed gratitude that no serious injuries had occurred: 'We are grateful no bus passengers appear to have been seriously hurt.' As the police continue their quest for the shooter, life carries on in the Bronx, albeit with the unsettling memory of Saturday's incident.
