SEPTA official identifies bus driver killed in shooting; woman charged with murder

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The SEPTA bus driver who was shot and killed Thursday morning while operating a bus in Philadelphia's Germantown section has been identified.

An agency spokesperson identified the driver as 48-year-old Bernard Gribbin from Abington, Pennsylvania. He was a 12-year employee of the transit authority and a U.S. Army veteran.

Zhontay Capers, 21, has been charged with murder, as well as other related offenses in Gribbin's death, Philadelphia police said Friday.

There was no word on a motive for this shooting.

It happened just before 10:30 a.m. at Germantown and Abbottsford avenues as Gribbin was operating a Route 23 bus. Police said he was shot six times in the chest and right abdomen.

Gribbin was rushed to Einstein Medical Center by police, where he was pronounced dead, according to officials.

Police said a woman caught on surveillance cameras was seen stepping off the bus and firing toward the driver.

"She then fires a shot toward the bus driver, re-enters the bus, and fires again. And from what we see in the video, and it's very preliminary, it appears she gets on and off several times," said Interim First Dep. Commissioner Frank Vanore.

SEPTA says this is the first time a worker has been shot and killed on the job.

"We talk all the time about making sure that everybody on our system goes home safely at the end of each day, and today, tragically, that did not happen," said SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards.

Those who knew Gribbin are mourning his loss.

"This man was funny. Very intelligent, and helped out whenever he could. So for someone who has such a pure heart, why?" asked Kareem Woodson, a former coworker of Gribbin.

Woodson told Action News he and Gribbin were former classmates as well as coworkers at SEPTA.

"It's disheartening, it really hurts," he said.

A SEPTA spokesperson described Gribbin as a hard-working bus operator who was dedicated to serving his community.

"Today we lost a valued member of the SEPTA family to an act of violence on the system. We're all aware of how dangerous it is to be a driver here. We're with this family 100%," added Pat Deon, a SEPTA board chairman.

Friends and family alike are now honoring Gribbin, who was a husband, son, brother, and uncle.

"He was very proud of himself for helping to protect our country and to protect the same person who took him away. I think that hurts even more," said Woodson.

Philadelphia and SEPTA police are investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call SEPTA Transit Police at (215) 580-8111.