MCTS bus driver, Lafayette Reynolds, didn’t want his face shown on camera, but he wanted to share what happened to him the night of November 19th, in hopes it doesn’t happen to another driver.
“I would have gone up and gone after him until he pulled a gun,” said Reynolds.
According to court documents, three men got on the bus just after 10:15 p.m. at the bus stop on
Teutonia Avenue and Capitol Drive.
Reynolds stopped the bus at North 60th and West Hampton, when one of the men, identified as Terrell Poe in court documents, “picked up a broom that was behind the handicap seats and attacked him.”
Then another man, identified in court documents as, 17-year-old Jaquon Lampkin, pulled out a “black semi-auto style pistol” and was “tapping the glass doors, pointing the firearm at Reynolds.”
Lampkin has been charged as an adult.
Reynolds was hit in the eye and his vision is still blurry. His wife, Sharon, said he might need surgery on his eye. She was devastated when it happened and wants to see more security not only on MCTS buses, but in the areas where there’s been police activity.
“Where there’s known activity, where drivers have been assaulted or attacked, then have more security in those areas so that our drivers out there working, will come home safe to our families,” said Sharon.
Milwaukee police said all three men were arrested. Poe and Lampkin have been charged.
Court documents report all three men are related and live in the same Milwaukee residence.
According to the criminal complaint, one of them recorded the attack on their phone. MCTS also has bus surveillance video of the attack but isn’t releasing it right now.
A spokesperson for MCTS said all drivers go through security training and they can request extra security officers on their buses or change their routes. MCTS provided the following statement:
“We appreciate the quick response by Milwaukee Police in finding and arresting the suspects and the swift action by the District Attorney’s Office in prosecuting them.
While serious incidents on buses are extremely rare, even one is too many. We continue to work with security officers and police to ensure the safety of our drivers and riders.” — Matt Sliker, MCTS
