A man armed with a knife was shot and killed after stabbing a security guard at a Hollywood subway station Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded around 9:10 a.m. to 1500 North Vermont Avenue to a report of a security guard being stabbed.
A man was found trespassing during a security check in the non-public area of the Vermont/Sunset station. The security guard and the man then got into an altercation on the platform, during which the guard used pepper spray and the man stabbed the guard in the leg.
The security guard then shot the man twice. The man fled on foot to a nearby hospital in Hollywood, where he was pronounced dead. The security guard was also hospitalized in an undisclosed condition.
Last week, hundreds of subway drivers staged a protest in response to the increasing number of attacks on drivers, leading to delays on dozens of bus lines. About 360 operators, approximately 10% of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority drivers, called in sick.
Train and bus operators have criticized Metro for its inadequate response to recent violence incidents. The agency recorded 168 assaults last year, including stabbings and spitting.
The assault occurred just two days after a Los Angeles Department of Transportation DASH bus driver was pushed and punched during a passenger altercation. The department stated it would explore ways to enhance protections for drivers.
The safety of passengers and drivers is crucial to transit services, as emphasized by LADOT. The department is evaluating options to improve safety, such as enhancing existing barriers between drivers and passengers.
