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“Help me, I’ve been shot,” the driver screams after being struck by the bullet. “Help me! Help me!”

After the driver was hit, someone on the bus rushed forward with a cell phone to dial 911.

The shooting happened on LaSalle Street back in December, just days before Christmas. Police said two cars were involved in some sort of argument that led to gunshots.

One of the bullets went right into that CATS bus and hit the driver.

Former CATS bus operator Nichel Dunlap-Thompson has been advocating for increased safety measures for drivers since she left the company in 2020.

She says acts of violence like this on Charlotte’s public transportation have unfortunately become increasingly common in recent years.

“The violence in the city of Charlotte is at an all-time high,” Dunlap-Thompson said. “The probability of that occurring in 2024 is very likely.”

After her initial reaction of shock, she says her next thought was to praise the driver for doing his job and stopping the bus safely even amidst the chaos after being shot.

“To be able to remain calm, as well as ensuring that the vehicle did not lose control,” Dunlap-Thompson said. “Him being commended is nowhere near enough.”

She says recent talks with advocates and city leaders have led to some promising ideas that could increase driver safety, such as an increased police presence and stronger protective barriers within the buses.

But today’s shocking video makes one thing clear to her, the time for change cannot come soon enough.

“It seems as if this problem has not created a sense of urgency within the problem solvers,” Dunlap-Thompson said. “That in itself is disheartening.”

No arrests have been made at this time.