CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former Charlotte Area Transit System bus driver David Fullard said he is lucky to be alive following a shootout with a passenger last month. He believes this incident could have been prevented if the right safety measures were in place.
He is calling for immediate action to be taken to protect his former fellow bus drivers before it's too late.
“That was mentally disturbing what happened to me, I could have been dead,” Fullard said. "I’ve got an eighth grandchild on the way. I have seven grandchildren and thank God I get to see them."
Fullard is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened on May 18. Surveillance video from inside the bus shows moments before gunshots were fired between the two.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the passenger, who has since been identified as Omarri Tobias, asked the driver to get off the bus in between stops. The bus driver refused and then there was an argument. The passenger pulled out a gun and then the driver pulled out a weapon and both fired.
“It was scary, very scary, and when I start to think about it... I never want to go through this again,” Fullard said.
Tobias was arrested and now faces several charges related to the shooting.
RATP Dev, the third-party operator of the city's buses, said it "parted ways" with Fullard, accusing him of violating employee policy by carrying the weapon on the job. Earlier this week, WCNC Charlotte learned Fullard will likely not face charges at this time.
Along with the mental scars, there is a physical mark on his arm where a bullet remains lodged inside him.
Fullard worked for the agency for nearly 20 years.
“Without this job, I wouldn’t have been able to get the things that I have,” he explained. “The cars, house, raise my kids the right way, but over the years things have just gotten worse.”
For months, CATS employees have called for better protection on the job following several incidents of violence while working.
“They are afraid they might be the next victim and they might not be so lucky,” Fullard said. “So they are scared and after all of this we still don’t have the measure of security out there to protect us.”
Fullard said it comes down to increasing security or adding police presence at transit centers and on buses.
“Even if it is a random bus check to let the bus drivers and passengers know we are secure,” Fullard said. “This will make criminals more afraid to come on the bus with weapons.”
Fullard said he feels for his former coworkers as safety remains a top concern.
“All I can do is pray for them that they can go home to their families because there is nothing put in place to protect them,” Fullard said. “All I can do is get on my knees and pray, that’s all I can do.”
CATS and city leaders are working on a plan to substantially increase funds toward safety and security contracts within the next two years. To help with security, agency leaders also say all buses have a silent alarm system to call for help.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.