Dear Editor,
On the afternoon of September 11, 2023 at approximately 16:00 hrs, along the Annandale Market Road, the owner and driver of bus # BZZ 2813, was brutally attacked and stabbed about his body by an unknown assailant. The man is a self-employed bus driver, who usually transports schoolchildren to and from school. He had just dropped a passenger home in Annandale, and was proceeding south along the Annandale Market Road heading toward the public road, when he observed a tall, well-built man standing by a market stand. The man appeared to be intoxicated, based on how he was visibly swaying. Exercising caution, the bus driver proceeded to slow down and just as he was about to drive past, the man swung his arm, hitting the right side mirror on BZZ 2813, causing the driver to stop. The assailant then turned toward and started cursing at the driver, who was still seated in his bus. While remaining seated, the driver indicated that there were children in the vehicle. This seemed to anger the assailant, who then pulled out a weapon, which could have possibly been a knife, from his waist, and started stabbing the driver, about his body. The driver’s 11 year old daughter was seated immediately next to him, and his 15 year old son was sitting next to her. In an attempt to save his and his children’s life, the driver used his arms as a bar, sustaining stab wounds to both hands, arms, and face. He
managed to quickly drive off and away from the attacker, to save himself from further stabs, and head straight to the Vigilance Police Station. His children were screaming in panic, having just witnessed the entire ordeal.
The driver, covered in his own blood, managed to drive to Vigilance Police Station desperately hoping to get some help, and transportation to a hospital. An officer present at the station, upon seeing all the blood told the driver that he could not enter the station in that condition and told him to go stand outside. Another officer then came out angrily, telling the driver that his blood had messed up the station’s floors and counter top and then proceeded to tell the driver that he needed to get a medical report before they (the police officers) could do anything. The driver was sent away in his state without being allowed to make a report. Up to now, no arrest has been made and the assailant is still at large.
The driver is currently seeking medical attention for the injuries to his arms, and is reported to be in a stable condition.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)