A public transit bus driver was fatally shot on Thursday, October 27, 2023, while operating his bus in broad daylight near the intersection of Germantown and Abbottsford Avenues in Philadelphia.
The victim, Bernard Gribbin, a 48-year-old U.S. Army veteran, had been an employee of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for 12 years. On that fateful day, around 10:27 a.m., police responded to a shooting report on the 4600 block of Germantown Avenue.
They found Gribbin driving the Route 23 bus, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso.
Witness accounts and surveillance footage suggest a chilling sequence of events. After initially exiting the bus, 21-year-old Zhontay Capers re-entered and allegedly shot Gribbin on his right side. She left the bus only to turn around, re-board, and shoot Gribbin again. The footage further showed Capers fleeing the scene on foot after the attack.
Following the shooting, panic erupted inside the bus. Passengers scrambled to evacuate through windows and emergency exits, highlighting the chaos and horror of the moment. Another bus driver nearby reported hearing the gunshots and witnessing the frightened passengers’ hasty exit.
Gribbin was quickly transported to a local hospital following the assault. Despite medical professionals’ best efforts, he was pronounced dead at 10:36 a.m., a mere nine minutes after the police first arrived on the scene.
Plainclothes SEPTA police officers later apprehended Capers, charging her with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and other related offenses. While law enforcement has yet to disclose a motive for the crime, Capers’ family revealed that she had been going through a mental health crisis. They shared that she had become increasingly isolated after the recent death of her grandmother due to cancer.
Friends, colleagues, and former co-workers of Gribbin expressed profound shock and sorrow over his untimely death. Many described him as a dedicated professional known for his intelligence, humor, and commitment to his job and the community. Officials from various sectors also condemned the violent incident, highlighting the daily inherent risks public transit workers face.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
