Two people shot dead on a Miami-Dade Transit bus by the driver, police say

Two people are dead after being shot on a Miami-Dade Transit bus overnight Sunday, Miami Gardens police said.

The shooter, according to police: the bus driver.

This happened around 2:50 a.m. at Northwest 183rd Street and Seventh Avenue on the No. 77 Metrobus, a route that starts in Miami Gardens and ends in downtown Miami at Government Center.

Miami Gardens police said an argument between the driver and passengers escalated. They were taken to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where both died.

Guns are not allowed as a self-defense measure for county bus drivers, said Juan Mendieta, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade’s Department of Transportation and Public Works.

“Transit operators are not allowed to be armed,” he said Sunday.

He also released a statement from the department, that read in part: “This morning’s incident aboard a Metrobus remains under investigation, and the Department of Transportation and Public Works is fully cooperating with law enforcement.”

County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, chair of the county’s Transportation committee, said she was “heartbroken” by the deaths.

“Another example of why people shouldn’t have guns,” she said in a text message. “Two people would still be alive today if there had been a shouting match rather than a shooting match. I’m heartbroken.”

In a statement, the county’s transit union called the shootings “a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved.

“We are working closely with investigators and county officials to understand exactly what happened and to support a full and transparent process,” read the statement from the Transport Workers Union Local 291, which represents transit operators. “As this investigation is still ongoing, we cannot speculate on the details. Our focus remains on supporting our members, the community, and doing all we can to help prevent such tragedies in the future.”

This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM.