BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Anthony Williams, the Maryland man accused of killing a woman and wounding five others on a Greyhound bus, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Williams was in court Wednesday afternoon for his arraignment, but his attorney asked for a continuance due to a scheduling conflict. Williams will return to court on Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Williams allegedly opened fire while the bus was passing through the Grapevine near Lebec, striking six people on Monday. A 51-year-old woman from Colombia was killed.
The bus was headed north on Interstate 5 from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
Prior to getting on that bus, Williams was on another Greyhound that departed from San Diego Sunday evening and stopped at a Greyhound station in Los Angeles.
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He would then transfer onto the bus destined for San Francisco, opening fire at about 1:26 a.m.
According to the CHP, a 45-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman were transported to Kern Medical with major injuries. A 49-year-old man was transported to Kern Medical with moderate injuries. A 50-year-old woman was transported to Kern Medical with minor injuries and has been discharged. A 45-year-old man was transported via Hall Air Ambulance.
CHP said it's unclear how long Williams has been in California, but confirmed that he has residency in Maryland.
According to Maryland's District Court for Prince George's County, Williams had a domestic violence case filed against him in 2003.
The CHP says a physical altercation between passengers and Williams helped subdue and disarm him. He was then forced out of the bus.
The bus was able to stop at a Valero gas station on Grapevine Road.
Greyhound released a statement regarding their security procedures:
While we cannot provide the full scope of our safety procedures for security reasons, all are in line with other local and national bus transportation providers. We do not use metal detectors before boarding at all of our locations which is mainly due to the fact that travelers do not necessarily begin their trips at terminals.
We thoroughly train our drivers and terminal team members on proper security procedures as exemplified in this particular incident. We also rely on law enforcement to assist if there is suspicious or unruly behavior on our buses or in our terminals.
An incident of this nature is extremely rare within the bus transportation industry. Although uncommon, it does not change the seriousness of what occurred. We are continuing to work closely with local authorities as they complete their investigation.
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