A Metro bus that was hijacked by an armed man collided with cars and slammed into a hotel in a chaotic scene late Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles.
The crash at The Ritz-Carton Hotel was reported at about 11:40 p.m. in the area of Georgia Street and Olympic Boulevard near the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. Live. Officers were told a man on the bus pulled out a gun -- later determined to be a BB gun -- and ordered the bus driver to drive to several locations, according to Metro.
The frightening ordeal played out over roughly 30 minutes, the LAPD said.
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Security camera video showed the bus colliding with cars, including one at an intersection where another Metro bus driver stopped just as the hijacked bus ran a red light and crossed the intersection. A dashcam video showed the bus zoom past and captured the sound of the crash into the side of the luxury hotel.
Law enforcement identified the suspect as 24-year-old Anai Lindsey. He was arrested in the area, where he was riding a bike, about an hour after the crash. Details about a possible motive were not immediately available.
The bus driver and a woman in a car struck by the bus were injured. Details about their conditions were not immediately available.
Vehicles hit by the bus included a black Mercedes Benz sedan near the hotel, an SUV and another black Mercedes Benz sedan that appeared to collide with the bus when it went through a red light.
There were no passengers on the heavily damaged bus, which remained at the scene early Thursday morning.
The weapon was recovered at the scene.
The suspect was booked on suspicion of kidnapping and is being held on $100,000 bail. It is unclear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
