One person dead after Atlanta-area chase involving hijacked transit bus

Update: 1 One hour before Published: 1 One hour before

ATLANTA — A chaotic chase involving a hijacked transit bus that crossed three Georgia counties ended Tuesday afternoon with one person shot and a man arrested, officials said.

Joseph Grier, 39, was arrested around 5:15 p.m. after the Gwinnett County bus stopped near the town of Tucker, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a news conference in near the bus.

When officers cleared the bus, they found a person with a gunshot wound, police said. The person was taken to hospital but died from their injuries. Their names have not been released.

Police said 17 people, including the driver, were on the bus, but there were no other injuries. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed the driver was held at gunpoint during the ordeal.

“My thoughts are with the family of the only person who has died at this time. My heart also goes out to the people who had to endure this frightening journey across multiple jurisdictions,” Dickens said.

The bus began its wild ride after a fight broke out around the vehicle while it was in downtown Atlanta, police said. Dispatchers received their first call around 4:30 p.m. about an armed man holding people hostage and that a firearm had potentially been discharged. A police officer arrived a minute later and confronted Grier, who then forced the bus driver to leave, officials said.

A second 911 caller reported receiving text messages from a family member inside the bus saying it had been hijacked. A final call came from someone who was inside the bus, and that caller remained on the line until the vehicle was finally stopped in DeKalb.

Atlanta police began pursuing the bus on I-85, following it into Gwinnett. The bus exited onto Jimmy Carter Boulevard before heading south, followed by police and state troopers.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit, including Atlanta Police, the Georgia State Patrol and the APD Aviation Unit. Police and DeKalb officers helped surround the bus after it stopped, and a SWAT vehicle could be seen directly in front of it. The GBI will assist Atlanta police in the investigation.

During the chase, the bus hit several cars which were unable to get out of the way in time. Patrol cars swarmed the vehicle as it traveled down Jimmy Carter Boulevard, several of them rushing ahead either to clear traffic with their lights and sirens or to divert the fleeing transit vehicle.

At times, confused motorists seemed unable to break free from the huge column of law enforcement vehicles racing in front of and behind the rogue bus.

Grier is a felon with 19 previous arrests, authorities said.

Fulton court records show his prior arrests involved violent crimes. In June 2019, he was arrested by Atlanta police on charges of aggravated assault and battery, according to court records. He remained in prison until September 2020.

In February 2023, Grier was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in DeKalb, according to jail records. He was released three months later.

“This individual held someone, a driver, at gunpoint in multiple jurisdictions, and so we all have to say enough is enough when it comes to too many people having guns in their hands and using them for violent purposes,” Dickens said.