Woman charged with murder in fatal shooting of SEPTA bus driver in Germantown
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A woman suspected of fatally shooting an on-duty SEPTA bus driver in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood has been arrested and charged with murder.
Police said Friday that 21-year-old Zhontay Capers is charged with murder, Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act and related offenses.
The shooting happened shortly before 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Germantown and Abbottsford Avenues.
Investigators said the driver, identified as 48-year-old Bernard Gribbin, was shot multiple times while driving his Route 23 bus. Gribbin was rushed to Einstein Medical Center, where he later died.
SEPTA said Gribbin had worked for the regional public transportation authority for 12 years.
According to police, Capers was a passenger on the bus when she got up and shot Gribbin, then got off the bus and shot him again. Multiple people were on the bus, but none of them were injured.
Capers was later taken into custody at a gas station at Greene Street and West Queen Lane. Police said no weapon was recovered.
SEPTA Transit Police said during a news conference Thursday the shooting was captured on video.
It's still unclear what led to the shooting.
The shooting happened as workers in the Transport Workers Union Local 234 and SEPTA are negotiating a new contract. Union members said safety concerns are their biggest issue. The union has authorized a strike if a contract is not agreed upon by Oct. 31 at 11:59 p.m., when their current contract expires.