Deadly Atlanta Bus Hijacking Followed by Food Court Shooting; Suspects Have Felony Records

One person is dead after a gunman hijacked a bus and held 17 people hostage in Atlanta on Tuesday, police said. The hijacking came shortly after another gunman wounded three people in a downtown Atlanta food court.

Both suspected gunmen are convicted felons. Joseph Grier, 39, the suspect in the bus hijacking, has 19 previous convictions, CNN reported. The 34-year-old suspect in the food court shooting is another felon with 11 prior arrests.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), Grier boarded a Gwinnett County transit bus in downtown Atlanta. He allegedly took a gun from a passenger and then threatened others on the bus.

“Grier then shot the passenger and ordered the bus driver to flee the scene while threatening passengers with the gun,” the GBI said in a statement. “Numerous law enforcement agencies began pursuing the bus as it traveled north into Gwinnett County and then traveled east into DeKalb County.”

During the pursuit, the bus hit several police vehicles. Despite flattened tires, the bus continued to flee until a Georgia State Patrol Trooper fired his patrol rifle into the engine compartment, causing the bus to stop.

The passenger who was shot was transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities are withholding the victim’s name until the family is notified. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said a family member of one of the passengers called 911, reporting the hostage situation.

Police shut down all lanes of I-85 during the massive chase, WSB-TV reported. Video footage shows the bus driving through traffic, ramming vehicles, and being pursued by a trail of police cars.

After police stopped the bus, the suspect was taken into custody without incident. The bus driver was hospitalized and treated for injuries.

The food court shooter allegedly got into an argument before pulling out a gun and shooting a man, along with two women ages 69 and 70 who were nearby. WSB-TV reported that Grier was caught on camera at the food court shooting scene before he allegedly hijacked the bus. Police have not yet connected Grier to the food court shooting.

Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens blamed “gun violence” for Tuesday’s crimes.

“Today has been a very active day, but let me be clear, we’re talking about gun violence that is a result of too many people having guns in their hands,” Dickens said. “You’re talking about people that should not have been on the streets with guns.”

“So, this day is not indicative of all the days in the city of Atlanta, but this is a day we’ll never forget,” the mayor added.

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