The community in South Los Angeles has been mourning the death of 48-year-old Anthony Rivera, a victim of a bus hijacking last week. Rivera was fatally shot by a gunman while en route home from his job at Dodger Stadium. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Lamont Campbell, is said to have boarded the bus early Wednesday and initiated what became a harrowing hostage situation. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rivera was caught in an attempted robbery before being killed. Campbell additionally held the bus driver and another passenger hostage for over an hour as police pursued the vehicle through downtown.
Over the weekend, loved ones gathered at a park in Rivera's hometown of Rosemead to pay tribute. "We demand more safety for passengers on those buses because what happened to him was an event that should have been preventable," Rivera’s cousin Marylou Mulero told KTTV-TV, as captured by the Los Angeles Times. The safety features on the bus, including a recently installed driver's barrier, were quickly put to the test during the incident. Officials suggested the barrier helped to prevent further harm. CBS News reported that family members are now hopeful for justice against Campbell, who is expected to be charged and arraigned.
The recent hijacking has underscored the ongoing concerns over safety on Los Angeles' public transit. In response to the incident, Mayor Karen Bass reaffirmed the necessity of securing the city's transport systems. "I want to say unequivocally that what happened ... will not be tolerated. It has no place in Los Angeles and the individual who was arrested must be held fully accountable," Bass said in a statement echoed by the Los Angeles Times. The city has pledged to explore new methods to detect weapons and safeguard passengers and transit operators alike.
The emotional weight of the tragedy was palpable at Sunday's gathering, as Rivera's mother, Theresa Flores, lamented, "I just miss him dearly," adding, "There's so much I want to say and I just can't. I'm just dumbfounded they took my son." The family, visibly shaken by their loss, shared memories of Rivera, with some donning Dodgers jerseys in his honor, while others wore black T-shirts emblazoned with his image.
