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.
Bernard Gribbin, aged 48 and an esteemed U.S. Army veteran, started his day as a driver for SEPTA, unaware it would be his last. Serving the community for over a decade, Gribbin’s regular morning on the 4600 block of Germantown Avenue took a horrifying turn when he became a victim of gun violence.
Law enforcement arrived at the scene to discover Gribbin behind the wheel of the Route 23 bus, struggling with life-threatening injuries. Witnesses and security cameras painted a harrowing picture: The female assailant, Zhontay Capers, 21, exited the bus, then shot Gribbin and, in a distressing turn, re-entered the bus to shoot him again. The suspect then fled on foot.
The aftermath of the shooting was marked by chaos, as passengers rushed to evacuate the bus through any means necessary. Another bus driver in the vicinity reported the sound of gunshots and the sight of passengers fleeing in a state of shock.
Emergency services swiftly transported Gribbin to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries, pronounced dead at 10:36 a.m. Capers was later arrested by SEPTA police, charged with murder and illegal firearm possession.
As investigations delve deeper into the incident, Capers’ family has revealed that she had been facing a mental health crisis, particularly after her grandmother’s recent death from cancer.
The passing of Gribbin has left his acquaintances and the broader community in a state of grief and disbelief, remembering him as a man of intelligence and humor. His death has drawn a stark reminder of the dangers faced by public transit employees. The community, law enforcement, and officials continue to grapple with the implications of this tragic event as the investigation moves forward.
