LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A vacationer stabbed greater than two dozen instances on a metropolis bus has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the transit authority because it will get aggressive at reducing down crime throughout its system.
Video exhibits Devinski Tunggadewa, 27, stabbing Joseph Lopez, of California, throughout a experience in June 2024, prosecutors mentioned. Tunggadewa faces expenses for allegedly stabbing Lopez on one bus after which stabbing two males on one other bus earlier than battering a on line casino worker.
The stabbing follows a number of high-profile incidents on Regional Transportation Fee of Southern Nevada buses the 8 Information Now Investigators lined in 2023. That 12 months, prosecutors charged a person with homicide for allegedly stabbing a 30-year-old man 33 instances inside a bus, killing him. The 8 Information Now Investigators found the driving force didn’t cease for almost 4 minutes because the incident progressed.
That 12 months, amid contract negotiations, the union representing bus drivers approved a strike, citing ongoing security considerations.
‘There’s a hearth’
“You can only see smoke so many times until you know there is a fire,” mentioned Lopez’s legal professional, Don Paradiso. “Safety has been an issue on RTC buses in this city for a very long time.”
Lopez and his fiancé determined to experience the bus to go again to their resort from Downtown Las Vegas. Movies the 8 Information Now Investigators obtained present the pair on the packed double-decker bus on June 21 as Tunggadewa sat close by.
Tunggadewa seems to speak to himself as he waives round a knife for a number of minutes, the video exhibits.
“The assailant has the stabbing instrument out in his hand for quite some time,” Paradiso mentioned. “It’s clearly visible.”
Video exhibits Devinski Tunggadewa, 27, stabbing Joseph Lopez, of California, throughout a experience in June 2024, prosecutors mentioned. (KLAS)
Inside minutes, Tunggadewa leaps out of his seat and stabs Lopez about 27 instances, Lopez’s lawsuit claims and prosecutors allege.“All my client did is look up to see him,” Paradiso mentioned. “They made eye contact, and that was when he was stabbed multiple times.”
A witness to that stabbing instructed police Tunggadewa was sitting alone and gave the impression to be speaking to himself, paperwork mentioned. At one level, Tunggadewa mentioned, “You [expletive] making eye contact with me, I’ll [expletive] you up,” paperwork mentioned. He then chased Lopez’s fiancé by the bus earlier than working away, police mentioned.
Within the second collection of stabbings on a second bus, which occurred on Fremont Road close to tenth Road, Tunggadewa allegedly grew to become offended when a passenger famous Tunggadewa was spitting on the ground, paperwork mentioned. Tunggadewa allegedly stabbed two folks on that bus, together with to the victims’ faces.
Prosecutors say video exhibits Devinski Tunggadewa waiving round a knife on an RTC bus. (KLAS)
Tunggadewa then allegedly approached an individual working on the Circa Resort & On line casino as he tried to enter a cocktail bar. The worker famous Tunggadewa’s arms have been lined in blood. Tunggadewa then allegedly hit the worker within the head and ran off.
Officers later discovered Tunggadewa strolling within the space with a utility knife in his hand, police mentioned.
Throughout Tunggadewa’s preliminary court docket appearances, judges denied setting bail. Final July, Las Vegas Justice Courtroom Decide Nadia Wooden set bail at $1 million. Final September, a Clark County grand jury indicted Tunggadewa on expenses together with tried homicide. Clark County District Courtroom Decide Jerry Wiese then saved Tunggadewa’s bail at $1 million per prosecutors’ request, paperwork mentioned.
Lopez’s lawsuit claims RTC failed to guard passengers like Lopez — who misplaced his skill to stroll within the aftermath and continues to recuperate from his accidents, Paradiso mentioned.
“What would that security look like?” 8 Information Now Investigator David Charns requested Paradiso.
“There should probably be a security guard on the buses, especially on the busier routes at all times,” Paradiso mentioned, highlighting the surveillance video exhibiting Tunggadewa waiving across the knife for a number of minutes earlier than the assault.
“How many times as a community are we going to see these types of things happening and say to ourselves, ‘You know what, there’s a pattern here and the people that are in charge and are supposed to be keeping us safe while we’re riding public transportation are not listening,’” he mentioned.
RTC responds
Within the wake of the violent crimes in 2023, together with the homicide, RTC added extra safety guards. The company has since switched safety contractors, including greater than 300 armed guards to the system, based on Tom Atteberry, RTC’s senior director for security and safety operations.
“One assault is too many,” Atteberry mentioned.
Atteberry took over the place within the fall of 2023.
From fiscal 12 months 2023 to 2024, passenger-on-passenger incidents dropped greater than 40 p.c, based on the Regional Transportation Fee of Southern Nevada. (KLAS)
“It is safe to say that RTC has learned from these past major incidents?” Charns requested Atteberry.
“I think that we’ve grown, and we’ve gotten better,” Atteberry mentioned.
The greater than 300 armed officers patrol the buses at a price of $23 million, Atteberry mentioned. There are additionally roving officers who can reply to incidents closest to them. Atteberry mentioned the company additionally elevated patrol sectors to lower response instances.
“From a safety security standpoint at the RTC, we’ve completely hit reset,” Atteberry mentioned.
The company can be wanting towards innovation. Along with the power to have a look at dwell cameras inside buses, final 12 months, it launched a system that permits surveillance cameras on buildings to detect weapons. If the system detects a weapon, an individual at an operations heart can alert regulation enforcement.
ZeroEyes analyst Mario Hernandez demonstrates using synthetic intelligence with surveillance cameras to establish seen weapons on the firm’s operations heart, Friday, Might 10, 2024, in Conshohocken, Pa. (AP Picture/Matt Slocum)
Atteberry was hopeful that expertise might broaden to incorporate detecting weapons out within the open — just like the knife in Lopez’s assault.
From fiscal 12 months 2023 to 2024, passenger-on-passenger incidents dropped greater than 40 p.c, Atteberry mentioned. Drivers are additionally tightening up on fare evaders, believing that the easy motion of retaining them off buses is aiding within the lower.
“We don’t refuse rides to anyone. It’s public transportation,” Atteberry mentioned. “What we have to do is have the best security in place and have eyes on and if the bus driver sees something get security over there right away.”
The company continues the sentiment that it’s a microcosm of society.
“You’re moving over 52 million people a year on these buses, you are going to have some incidents,” Atteberry mentioned. “Our job is to keep the numbers low and to quickly respond when there is an incident to help out any way we can.”
“Had anyone simply acted sooner, this probably would not have happened,” Paradiso mentioned in regards to the assault on his shopper. “The whole purpose of security is to act as a deterrent and to be an active set of eyes.”
Bus drivers instructed the 8 Information Now Investigators that they proceed to concern for his or her security. A number of highlighted an unprovoked stabbing from February. The drivers mentioned they hope to see extra armed safety on buses as RTC works to carry newer expertise on-line.
Meeting Invoice 361, a proposal from Democratic Assem. Linda Hunt, would require Nevada bus operators to implement sure security procedures to guard drivers. Key components of the proposal embody the barrier set up and signage to alert passengers about potential prison penalties. The protection measures can be required on any transit car that requires a business driver’s license.
Passenger-on-operator assaults have remained regular in Clark County over the previous a number of years, based on information the 8 Information Now Investigators obtained. In fiscal 12 months 2022, the Regional Transportation Fee recorded 32 assaults. In 2023, the quantity was 35.
In 2024, the variety of passenger-on-operator assaults quantity dipped barely to 26.
Tunggadewa’s trial was scheduled to start this summer time.
