Miami-Dade bus driver accused of killing two passengers. Was he allowed to be armed?
When bus operators take their place behind the wheel in Miami-Dade County, they're not allowed to bring firearms aboard.
While concerns about violence is a top concern for bus operators across the country, particularly at night, county rules prohibit drivers from taking guns to work even if they're legally allowed to carry firearms, a county spokesperson said.
'Transit operators are not allowed to be armed,' said Juan Mendieta, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade's Department of Transportation and Public Works.
Early Sunday morning, police said, a county bus driver fatally shot two passengers after what authorities said was an argument between the driver and at least one of the passengers.
READ MORE: Two people dead after shooting that involved a Miami-Dade bus driver, police say
Two people briefed on the shooting, which took place shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, said the operator was in a dispute with one passenger about a bike. Passengers with bicycles must place them on racks installed on the front of county buses.
It's not known whether the dispute involved both passengers who were shot dead by the operator. The passengers and the operator have not been named by police. The Miami Gardens Police Department's homicide unit is investigating the shootings, and the agency had not announced charges as of early Sunday afternoon.
The incident appeared to involve Miami-Dade's No. 77 bus, which runs all night between Miami Gardens and the Government Center transit station in downtown Miami. The 77 is one of the busiest bus routes in the county, with average weekday ridership of about 10,000 riders. That drops down to about 4,000 riders on an average Sunday.
In a statement, the county's transit union called the shootings 'a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved.'
'We are devastated by the tragic events that unfolded in Miami Gardens and extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,' read the statement from the Transport Workers Union Local 291, which represents transit operators. 'The safety of both our operators and the riding public is and always will be our highest priority.'
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