CLEVELAND — One man is in the hospital while another man is in jail after a stabbing on an RTA bus near Public Square in Downtown Cleveland.
It’s the third violent attack on RTA property in two months.
The most recent case happened on Monday, around 3 a.m., on an RTA Healthline bus headed east on Euclid Avenue.
Court records show 29-year-old Deondre Bridget stabbed a 24-year-old man in the face and head after a brief argument, and the victim was bleeding profusely when police started first aid.
The victim was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
RTA says the suspect was arrested at the Windermere station in East Cleveland.
A Cleveland police report shows that a knife, later determined to be a box cutter, was recovered.
“No, it doesn't scare me. I protect myself. I'm a boxer,” bus rider Terrell Gardner said.
Another bus rider says he’s usually a daytime passenger.
"Things have happened like where I’ve had to defend myself on the bus, but I would never pull out a weapon,” Treyvion Talivero said.
Last month, News 5 Investigators rode the Red Line with Transit Police Chief Deirdre Jones.
"We’re everywhere, again, bus stops, stations, buses, trains,” Jones said.
In December, a teenager and a young man were killed in separate violent attacks on RTA property just days apart.
Two deadly incidents just days apart in December.
"We look at our data to get some trends as far as crime goes, we look at locations, we look at times of day, we look at whether or not if it’s on trains, buses or in stations, and then we go ahead and target those areas,” Jones said.
Talivero says he’s witnessed medical emergencies and drug overdoses while on board RTA buses.
While he generally does feel safe, he would like more transit officers visible.
"There is stuff happening on the bus, and they show up like later on afterwards, at least have them stationed where they can be nearby,” Talivero said.
Bridget is charged with felonious assault.
Cleveland Municipal Court records show Bridget has a criminal history with charges ranging from robbery to receiving stolen property and misconduct on the RTA system.
