Atlanta police have identified the alleged hijacker who held a bus driver at gunpoint and took 17 commuters hostage during a chaotic 15-mile chase through multiple jurisdictions. The suspect, Joseph Grier, 39, was apprehended without incident after a dramatic pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Grier faces over two dozen charges, including murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, hijacking a motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum revealed that Grier, a convicted felon with 19 prior arrests, had been released from prison a decade ago after serving time for aggravated assault.
The tragic incident resulted in the death of a passenger, 58-year-old Earnest Byrd Jr., who was identified during a press conference. Grier's family disclosed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, struggling with mental illness for 16 years and recently neglecting his treatment plan.
The harrowing ordeal began when Grier, involved in a dispute with another passenger on a Gwinnett County Transit bus, seized a gun and threatened passengers before fatally shooting the passenger and ordering the bus driver to flee the scene. Despite the chaos, one passenger managed to discreetly call 911, leading to police intervention.
After a high-speed chase that saw the bus colliding with other vehicles, law enforcement successfully deployed spike strips to halt the bus near Stone Mountain. Video footage captured Grier's arrest and the aftermath of the incident, which left one passenger injured and later succumbing to their wounds.
The police investigation is ongoing, with authorities commending the swift response that prevented further casualties. The bus hijacking incident occurred shortly after a separate shooting incident in downtown Atlanta, underscoring the challenges faced by law enforcement in maintaining public safety.
