The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the popular bus and subway system in Georgia’s capital city, operates in various counties in the Atlanta area including Fulton, Clayton, Decatur and Cobb counties to provide individuals with a cheaper form of transport. Including 500 buses and 38 stations, MARTA serves as an accessible mode of transportation for a variety of ages and areas in Atlanta. Due to the substantial crowd that the station gathers, fights and arguments commonly break out, such as the one that led to the January 3 shooting and death of bus driver Leroy Ramos.
MARTA police began to investigate the scene shortly after the shooting based on the story they received about juvenile individuals allegedly arguing with Ramos about fare evasion. The argument eventually led to a serious and fatal confrontation when one individual pulled out a gun and shot Ramos three times. Shortly after the police arrived, they arrested two out of the three suspects and took them into custody as emergency vehicles rushed Ramos to the hospital along with another bystander who suffered a wound from the bullet’s recoil. Due to the clear video footage of the incident, police believed that they would quickly resolve the case and locate the third suspect.
After three days of police searches, the last suspect still remained a runaway while the other two captured minors began to prepare for court and trials. The two juveniles faced charges of aggravated assault and murder in the initial hearing before officials sent them over to the Dekalb County Superior Court which will help decide on a potential bond. After dozens of union workers and family members held a balloon release and begged for the third suspect to turn themselves in to bring peace to Ramos’s family, the juvenile decided to surrender to the police and will now face adult charges.
“Our officers were dispatched, and we also had officers close to the station. Information went out over the police radio and to our partners in the area, including Decatur police who have been fantastic partners and are assisting us in the search. Unfortunately, there are individuals in our community who feel they need to resolve disputes with firearms. Until society decides this is not the way to resolve issues, we’ll continue to see this violence. This senseless violence has to end,” Chief of MARTA police Scott Krecher said.
Similar instances have occurred on MARTA and led to multiple safety concerns over the past couple of years. Fights such as the football fans incident, the Midtown MARTA shooting and the overall high crime statistics on MARTA create a need for extra security and safety regulations during transit. Riders can protect themselves using tricks from self-defense materials to show awareness to their surroundings. MARTA also seeks to educate individuals about the potential dangers and the company provides resources such as a hotline and strict rules to keep all passengers safe. Staying aware of the environment when riding on MARTA and bearing precautions can help prevent future crimes in the transportation system.
“Over the past couple of years, I have been super scared of using public transportation like MARTA. If I have to go downtown or to go to a concert I will use MARTA, but I make sure to protect myself. I always carry pepper spray with me when I use the train and will never go alone on MARTA. I think it is extremely important to protect yourself in public transportation especially because of the huge crowds and the downtown area,” magnet junior Kassidy Brown said.
