The day after a shooting on a city bus added to a string of violent incidents involving mass transit in Baltimore, many bus riders said they felt safe despite the headlines.
“I find it to be safe,” said city resident Stephen Sepko, 36, as he rode the city?s No. 8 bus uptown on Thursday.
“I haven?t seen very much violence,” said fellow passenger Terry Estrada, 42. “I?ve seen some arguments and shouting but that?s it.”
“People need to be aware of their surroundings, regardless,” Dell Alston, 58, a reserve outfielder for the 1977 world champion New York Yankees said as he rode the bus home Thursday. “Disagreements do occur, but if you are courteous and aware you won?t have any problems.”
“It?s only dangerous when the bus is crowded and people are pushing and shoving,” said 19-year-old Shakia Briggs.
Early Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the leg after a dispute between two groups of juveniles escalated on the No. 15 bus near the Poppleton neighborhood.
Earlier this month on buses, two groups of teens were kicked off for brawling, a middle-school girl was stabbed in the arm while fighting with other youths, and five men attacked two other male passengers. In the most severe case, nine middle schoolers allegedly beat a female passenger, leaving her with serious injuries. Several students charged claim they were not involved and others said the woman and her companion instigated the fight.
Last week, Maryland Transit Administration officials extended the jurisdiction of city police and school police to include buses, and vowed the three agencies would share information daily on fights, drugs, gangs and school closings. MTA also plans to hand over video footage of unruly student passengers to schools.
And while many passengers echoed sentiments of their fellow riders that city buses were essentially safe, all seem to agree that if problems did occur, they usually involved younger riders.
“It?s the kids,” Lynette Adams, 45, said as she rode the No. 8 to the Inner Harbor. “There?s been a lot of violence with younger riders, they need plainclothes officers on the bus to catch them.”
“The moral values of children have declined,” said Shirley Gray, 55, a teacher?s aide who said she rides the bus occasionally.
“It just a matter of respecting their elders,” said construction worker Thomas Smith, 49, after disembarking a downtown bus on his way home.
“I?ve been riding the bus for 30 years with no problem, but this new generation is something else.”
Examiner Staff Writer Kelsey Volkmann contributed to this story
