A passenger was shot and killed and an armed man suspected of hijacking a Metro bus and taking its driver hostage was arrested following a terrifying pursuit and standoff Wednesday morning in downtown Los Angeles.

The deadly series of events began just before 1 a.m. when police responded to a shots fired call at South Figueroa Street and Imperial Highway. Los Angeles Police Department officers saw a man with a gun boarding the bus near Figueroa and West 119th Street.

The armed man demanded that the driver continue driving through downtown with four people on the bus — two passengers, the driver and the gunman. It was not immediately clear whether the driver was held at gunpoint during the slow chase, which went on for about an hour.

At some point, the gunman shot a passenger on board the bus. The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to police. It was not immediately clear what led up to the shooting.   

SWAT officers were called to an area near Skid Row when the bus briefly stopped after police deployed spike strips, the LAPD said. During the standoff, officers surrounded the bus and shot bean bags and stun grenades at the gunman as they tried to rescue the driver and the injured passenger.

The pursuit ended near Sixth and Alameda streets, the LAPD said. The driver was rescued and the gunman was taken into custody.    

County Supervisor Janice Hahn said the bus was equipped with a safety barrier designed to prevent a hijacker from approaching the driver and taking control of the bus. The driver has been with the agency for more than a decade, she said.

“The driver showed courage and quick thinking in the middle of the night,” Hahn said.

My thoughts are with the loved ones of the individual who was tragically killed early this morning. What happened this morning was completely unacceptable and has no place in Los Angeles.

Every Angeleno has the right to go about their lives safely — especially on our public… https://t.co/e0i8VycTAZ

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) September 25, 2024

LAPD Cmdr. Donald Graham told reporters that the passenger who had been shot was taken to a hospital, where he died. Details about the victim’s identity were not immediately available.     

Graham said another passenger who hid in the back of the bus during hijacking was rescued by police. The driver pushed a panic button inside the bus, alerting police.

Lamont Campbell, 51, was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the hijacking and fatal shooting. He was being held on $2 million bond. Details about a motive were not immediately available.

“Metro is grateful for the LAPD’s swift action regarding this morning’s bus hijacking incident and is grateful the operator was unharmed.  Metro is providing the operator with the support he needs,” Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo said.  “This is still an active investigation being led by the LAPD.”

The deadly hijacking comes about six months after another Metro bus was commandeered by an armed man in downtown Los Angeles. That bus collided with cars and eventually slammed into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The bus driver and a woman in a car struck by the bus were injured.

Authorities later learned the man was armed with a BB gun.

Hahn and Mayor Karen Bass said at an afternoon news conference that a weapons detection system is part of a pilot program being tested by Metro. The system is designed to prevent anyone with a weapon from boarding a bus.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Manny Machado started a game-ending triple play and the San Diego Padres clinched a postseason berth with a 4-2 victory over the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Jake Cronenworth hit an early two-run homer for the streaking Padres, assured at least a National League wild card with five games left in the regular season. They moved within two games of Los Angeles, with two games remaining in their critical series at Dodger Stadium.

After the Dodgers scored once in the ninth inning, they had runners at first and second when Miguel Rojas hit a sharp grounder to Machado at third base. He stepped on the bag and went around the horn for a triple play that ended it.

GAME-ENDING TRIPLE PLAY TO CLINCH POSTSEASON BERTH pic.twitter.com/w2VmNQKWHw

— MLB (@MLB) September 25, 2024

San Diego’s celebration was delayed when the Dodgers challenged the out call at second base, but the ruling was upheld following a replay review.

The second-place Padres have won four in a row and nine of 10. San Diego owns the tiebreaker against Los Angeles with an 8-3 record in head-to-head matchups.

The Dodgers’ magic number remained four to clinch the division title.

San Diego’s four runs came with two outs in front of 50,369 fans who created a playoff atmosphere for the opener of the huge three-game series. They chanted “MVP! MVP!” at Shohei Ohtani while mercilessly booing Fernando Tatis Jr. and Machado, a former Dodger.

Cronenworth had no RBIs in September until producing three against the Padres’ biggest rivals, including his 12th career homer against the Dodgers. He had been without an extra-base hit in his previous 50 at-bats.

Jake Cronenworth puts the @Padres in front! pic.twitter.com/3N0oN6RRja

— MLB (@MLB) September 25, 2024

Padres starter Michael King (13-9) allowed one unearned run and three hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked two.

San Diego extended its lead to 4-1 in the fourth on Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single and Cronenworth’s RBI double.

The Dodgers got on the board in the first on Bogaerts’ throwing error at shortstop that scored Ohtani, who led off with a ground-rule double on the first pitch he saw. It was his 95th extra-base hit of the season, a franchise record.

Mookie Betts was safe at first when Bogaerts’ throw on a routine grounder went into the Padres’ dugout, allowing Betts to take second.

Rookie starter Landon Knack (3-5) gave up four runs and five hits in four innings for Los Angeles. He struck out four and walked one.

The right-hander unraveled in the fourth, when he needed 39 pitches after throwing just 38 through the first three innings. Knack had a balk and a wild pitch, and the Padres stole a base in the inning.

The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the second when Betts struck out swinging.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Transferred RHP Gavin Stone (right shoulder) to the 60-day IL. … LHP Anthony Banda (broken left hand) threw a bullpen and is on track to return in the next couple of days. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (toe) won’t face hitters this week.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Dylan Cease (14-11, 3.42 ERA) makes his final start before the postseason.

Dodgers: RHP Jack Flaherty (13-7, 3.10) is limiting opposing hitters to a .233 average.

New video released by Irvine police Tuesday shows the moment officers shot and killed a man who they say was stabbing his 72-year-old mother outside her home last month.

In a chilling 911 call made by a neighbor on Aug. 8, the caller reports seeing a disturbance in his area.

“He’s like a 35-year-old man and he’s in the street chasing his mom with a knife,” the caller said.

That call came just before 3 p.m. from a neighbor near Green Tree Lane and Royce Road. The caller reported hearing them arguing for about 15 to 20 minutes and a good Samaritan attempting to de-escalate the situation.

“One of the neighbors tried to interfere but then he chased her with a knife,” the caller said.

Arriving minutes later, officers ordered the man to put the knife down as he attacked his mother.

“Drop the knife now. Drop the knife,” one officer can be heard saying on the body camera.

Instead, the man lunged toward one of the officers, prompting him to open fire.

The suspect, who was identified as 37-year-old Paul Montazer, died at the scene. His mother, 72-year-old Parvin Montazer, also died at the scene.

The Irvine Police Department is continuing to investigate the officer-involved shooting and the woman’s stabbing. A motive for the stabbing remains unclear.