2 adults arrested in vicious Metrobus assault
WASHINGTON - Two adults have been arrested for the violent assault of a woman who was traveling home on a Metrobus in D.C. earlier this week.
WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke tweeted the news Friday evening, thanking Metro Transit Police for their work. He called the altercation "reprehensible" and unacceptable" and credited Attorney General Karl Racine with bringing more attention to the incident.
"Customers and staff have made it clear that this type of behavior can not be tolerated on Metro or anywhere," Clarke tweeted.
Metro said the two suspects, 27-year-old Emoni Hubbard of Southeast D.C. and 35-year-old Terry Barnes of Wilson, North Carolina were taken into custody without incident.
READ MORE: 'Disturbing' video shows a woman being attacked, pushed off a DC Metrobus
Video taken from cameras on the W4 bus helped detectives identify the suspects,
The arrest comes three days after FOX 5 obtained the exclusive video of the assault from a bystander on the bus. We immediately reached out to Metro for answers.
Within the clip, the group can be heard berating Kyla Thurston for nearly a minute as she stood near the backdoor of the bus.
After telling Thurston to "get off the bus" multiple times, the video shows the driver comes to a stop, doors open and the juveniles and adults begin to attack her.
Thurston spoke with FOX 5's Melanie Alnwick Wednesday and told her the situation began after she asked a group of youth sitting nearby to stop using foul language. Thurston said she had just given up her seat to a young woman who came onboard the bus with her young children.
"At that point, the kids became unruly. They started being disrespectful, like saying things to me," Thurston said. "Then next thing you know, there were objects being thrown at me, and I was just like, ‘Thank You, Lord,' because throughout the whole incident the only thing I could recall was the kids hitting me and kicking me - and I had no defense."
Thurston said she asked the bus driver numerous times to stop, but the bus kept moving.
"The bus driver made no attempt to stop the bus. He didn't alert local authorities or anything to my defense," she said. "Even after I'm yelling at the top of my lungs, ‘Stop the bus – let me off the bus,' the bus driver never stopped."
Thurston said she was kicked and pushed off of the bus by her attackers.
On Friday morning, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee III told FOX 5"significant progress" was being made in the investigation into the brutal attack.
He said seeing youth involved in incidents like this is "very disturbing."
"The city has dumped a ton of resources into making opportunities available for our young people, so that we don't find them involved in these types of situations or these types of incidents - especially violent incidents," Contee said. "Everyone has a right to be safe in the community and when we identify these types of things, we really have to get to the root of why they did what they did - but more importantly, make sure that in addition to accountability, that there's also opportunity for those young people."
Metro Spokesperson Ian Jannetta said that the driver of the W4 bus did not follow proper reporting protocol.
DC Mayor Bowser responds to woman being assaulted on Metrobus
On Wednesday, FOX 5 asked D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser if she had seen a video reported on by FOX 5 showing a woman violently shoved off of a Metrobus by what appears to be a group of teens – and possibly some adults. The Mayor answered - no – and that she would look at it. The Chief of Police indicated the same.
"Metrobus leadership has determined that the bus operator did not follow proper procedures during this incident, and appropriate administrative action will be taken," Jannetta said. "A bulletin reminding all Metrobus operators of protocols for onboard disturbances will be circulated this week. MTPD is stepping up patrols on the W4 as part of its ongoing initiative to increase officer availability and visibility throughout the bus and rail system."
It's unclear at the moment whether there will be any consequences for the driver. WMATA has not said if any of the other individuals involved in the assault will be charged.
This is a developing story. Check back with FOX 5 for updates.