Man who fired shots into CATS bus arrested

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has arrested a man who shot into a CATS bus overnight on Tuesday.

Officers were called to the scene around 12:18 a.m. on May 18, and a CATS driver said an unknown suspect fired three or four shots into the bus.

Jason Wright, 37, was identified as the suspect and arrested Wednesday evening. He remains at the Mecklenburg County Jail.

“Uncomfortable, real uncomfortable,” said rider Princess Natt. “I use this public transportation every day. This is how I get where I’m going.”

The incident was at bus stop No. 24, located on Nations Ford Road and Huntsmoor Drive.

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No passengers were on the bus at the time and the bus driver wasn’t injured.

“CATS takes all safety and security incidents very seriously and we work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold all parties involved accountable,” a statement from CATS read.

Former driver and advocate Nichel Dunlap Thompson says changes are not happening quick enough.

“Here we go again, once again,” she said. “It’s because of the lack of regard that the city has for the operators. It is because they don’t see the importance of their safety because if so, we know these acts wouldn’t continue to take place.”

Thompson says law enforcement presence on routes is needed for safety and to help ease the mind of drivers.

“They’re worried about what happens next. They’re worried about who will get shot at next. They’re worried about if someone is going to die next,” she said.

The shooting comes just months after CATS driver Ethan Rivera was shot-and-killed while on the job and many CATS workers demanded more safety on buses.

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