Metro bus hijacked by suspect armed with BB gun, slams into cars and hotel in downtown LA: Police

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Metro bus was hijacked in downtown Los Angeles, resulting in several crashes before the driver eventually plowed into a luxury hotel overnight.

The incident unfolded around 11:38 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Authorities said the suspect boarded the bus with a BB gun that looked like a replica gun.

In a news release, the LAPD said the suspect "approached the Metro bus operator, made verbal threats, reached into his waistband as if he had a gun and stated, 'Just drive!'

"The bus operator attempted to make a left turn from Olympic Boulevard onto Georgia Street when the suspect grabbed the steering wheel and caused the bus to collide with several vehicles," one of which was occupied, the statement said.

Surveillance video from the area shows the bus careening down the street before hitting one car at an intersection. Police said at least one other car was hit by the bus before it finally crashed at 900 West Olympic Boulevard, where the Ritz-Carlton hotel is located.

The suspect, however, never actually took control of the bus, and no passengers were on board at the time.

According to a statement from Metro, the suspect fled the scene and left the BB gun behind on a sidewalk, but he was later arrested by police.

The bus operator and another person who was in one of the vehicles struck by the bus were were both taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. They were both in stable condition, and the bus driver was later released from the medical center.

The suspect was identified Thursday afternoon as Anai Lindsey, according to the LAPD. Lindsey was booked on suspicion of kidnapping and was being held on $100,000 bail.

L.A. Metro declined ABC7's request for an on-camera interview, but said they're working on installing new barriers on each bus to protect the drivers.

Anyone with information about the incident was urged to call LAPD Central Division detectives at (213)833- 3750.