Suspect in fatal California Greyhound bus shooting identified

An officer and his dog sniff around a Greyhound bus that was headed to the Bay Area. Feb. 3, 2020

One woman died and five people were injured early Monday in a shooting on a Greyhound bus in California, the California Highway Patrol said.

Authorities say passengers disarmed the suspect and escorted him off the bus. Thirty-three-year-old Anthony Devonte Williams of Maryland was arrested and authorities say the motive is unknown. 

At a news conference at a Vallero gas station, CHP Brian Pennings said the suspect the suspect went "voluntarily without further incident. He willingly went into custody."

Of the five injured passengers, two of the victims were hospitalized in critical condition, one had major injuries and two others had lesser injuries.

It's not clear why the suspect, who boarded the bus in Los Angeles, shot the passengers. CHP officers were questioning him to try to find out, Pennings said. The bus was headed to San Francisco on Interstate 5. 

"I've been on 25 years and never seen this happen," he said. 

Pennings said the suspect's black handgun was left on the bus and recovered by authorities.

Greyhound issued a statement, hours after the shooting: "We are thankful for the heroic actions of our driver and passengers as they worked together to bring the bus to safety."

Pennings said that at 1:27 a.m., the CHP received a call that someone had fired a gun at several passengers riding a Greyhound bus that was heading north on Interstate 5 near Lebec, Calif. 

The bus driver pulled to the shoulder of the road "and the suspect exited, leaving the weapon on the bus," Pennings said. The bus driver got off at the next exit at a Grapevine Vallero gas sation, and started to get the injured medical help, Pennings said.

The suspect was arrested at 1:34 a.m.

There were several dozen people on the bus at the time, Pennings said.

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Photos from the scene showed the bus parked at a Valero gas station at the base of the Grapevine section of the freeway.

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Officers inspect a bus where a suspect injured five people and killed one woman. He left his gun on the bus. Feb. 3, 2020

Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was written from Oakland, Calif.