RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A man is dead after police say he was shot while preparing to step onto a Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) bus in Richmond’s Southside Thursday morning.
According to the Richmond Police Department, officers responded to the intersection of Cowardin Avenue and Hull Street for a report of a person shot around 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 28. When they got there, the officers found a man on the pavement at the rear door of a GRTC bus.
The man, who had suffered from an apparent gunshot wound, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police determined the man was getting ready to step onto the bus when he was shot.
In a release posted at 10:12 a.m. Thursday, GRTC acknowledged an “incident of gun violence” that took place “next to a GRTC bus.” In the release, GRTC says the shooting happened “at the same time as a southbound 3A bus was serving bus stop 794” and that “no GRTC passengers or employees were harmed by or involved in the incident” though the bus was taken out of service.
“We would like to express our deep condolences to the family of the victim and our dismay that such an incident occurred at all,” said GRTC in the release.
Around 12:45 p.m., Richmond Police announced that detectives had canvassed the area, interviewed witnesses and gathered video from nearby businesses and the GRTC bus cameras.
“Detectives have determined there were passengers on the bus at the time of the shooting that may have left the area,” a spokesperson for the department said. “Detectives ask those passengers to contact police with any information they may have on the shooting.”
The southbound lanes of Richmond Highway were closed for the investigation but have since been reopened.
The Medical Examiner’s Office is yet to determine the cause and manner of death for the victim.
Police have not released any information regarding a possible suspect. This incident is still under investigation, anyone with information is asked to call Richmond Police at 804-646-5112.
