A passenger on the greyhound bus where a shooting killed a woman and injured five others says the real hero was not the bus driver, but another passenger who wrestled the gun away.
It's a terrifying scene described by a man who sat in the line of fire, two rows behind the Colombian woman who was killed.
"He was speaking to himself muttering things and speaking incoherently," witness Mark Grabban said.
Grabban, an Anaheim resident, said the gunman identified as 33-year-old Anthony Williams suddenly stood up gun in hand.
"And then he was saying you don't know me like that...And that's when I heard the sound of the gun cocking back," Grabban said.
The passenger said it sounded like eight or nine shots.
"It seemed to go on forever like you were just hoping he would run out of bullets, but at the same time you were waiting for a bullet to hit you," Grabban said.
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Six people were hit in the shooting -- one fatally. More would have died, said Grabban, except for a passenger who acted before the shooter could reload.
"He managed to get the gun off him. The gun must have landed under the seat. He panicked and ran off the bus," Grabban said. "Everyone hugged him and thanked him.
Grabban also told the passenger he was a hero and thanked him for saving their lives.
Grabban also said the bus driver did not know the shooting had happened. He thought the noise was caused by engine trouble and that is why he pulled onto the shoulder. He also faults Greyhound for not checking carry-on bags or screening passengers.
Greyhound contacted NBC Bay Area Wednesday with the following statement on its security procedures :
"While we cannot provide the full scope of our safety procedures for security reasons, all are in line with other local and national bus transportation providers. We do not use metal detectors before boarding at all of our locations which is mainly due to the fact that travelers do not necessarily begin their trips at terminals.
We thoroughly train our drivers and terminal team members on proper security procedures as exemplified in this particular incident. We also rely on law enforcement to assist if there is suspicious or unruly behavior on our buses or in our terminals.
An incident of this nature is extremely rare within the bus transportation industry. Although uncommon, it does not change the seriousness of what occurred. We are continuing to work closely with local authorities as they complete their investigation."
