1 dead after Metro bus hijacked at gunpoint, police chase across Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One person is dead after a suspect hijacked a Metro bus at gunpoint overnight, leading to a wild chase across Los Angeles before he was eventually taken into custody.

The incident started before 1 a.m. Wednesday at Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

That's when the suspect hijacked the Line 81 bus at gunpoint with the driver and two passengers on board. Authorities described it as a kidnapping situation.

Officers saw the bus stopped at 117th and Figueroa streets, but it started slowly rolling away as they approached.

The bus driver continued traveling at gunpoint as authorities pursued the vehicle for the next hour. It does not appear the suspect was ever behind the wheel.

Officers deployed several spike strips during the chase, which punctured the right tire of the bus.

The bus eventually came to a stop at 6th and Alameda streets in downtown L.A. and the suspect surrendered. The driver then climbed out of the bus from the driver's side window.

A man was found inside the bus with multiple gunshot wounds, but details about what led up to the shooting were not available. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The second passenger was not injured.

In a statement, Metro said the bus driver is OK and that the transportation agency is providing him with the support he needs.

The LAPD praised the bus driver for his actions.

"This operator continued to operate the bus in as safe a manner as he could under the circumstances, with the police trailing him for an hour before the spike strips finally took effect," said Deputy Chief Donald Graham with the LAPD's Transit Services Division.

DEVELOPING: We will add more details to this report as they become available.