THUNDER BAY — Police are investigating a violent incident that saw a Thunder Bay Transit passenger injured outside city hall.
Officers were dispatched to the area at 11:20 p.m. Monday following reports that a male had just thrown an object through a bus window.
They were told he had been banging on the rear window before throwing a hammer, and had then fled the scene on foot.
A male transit rider who was injured by broken glass was taken to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre by Superior North EMS paramedics.
Police believe the injured passenger may have been targeted by the accused, but the attack appears to have been unprovoked.
Ironically, the incident happened just two hours after Amalgamated Transit Union officials made a deputation to city council about the rising number of assaults on bus drivers.
"The violence is escalating," local transit union president Fred Caputo said Tuesday morning after hearing what happened.
In his presentation to council, Caputo requested that dedicated security staff be assigned to the transit pad at city hall, and that they be trained in de-escalation and how to respond to people with mental health issues.
