A Florida bus driver who was the victim of a vicious knife attack last month is now asking his bosses to allow him to carry a concealed firearm at work.
The driver, Schnaider Prophete, made the request before the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) Authority’s board of directors on Monday.
An Army veteran, Prophete said driving a bus in the streets of Hillsborough is more dangerous than the time he spent in the military.
“When I was in the Army, whenever I go out on a mission, I was properly equipped for that mission,’ he said. “We are not.”
James Ambrose is the man who is charged with attacking Prophete. Ambrose apparently snapped after the bus’ farebox malfunctioned. He sprayed his victim with mace and then pulled out a box cutter, slashing the driver repeatedly.
Thankfully, John Phelps was riding the bus that day. A fellow veteran, Phelps came to the aid his driver.
“The driver tried to fight him off, but as soon as the driver hit the floor, he started cutting him like some sort of psycho,” Phelps told the Tampa Bay Times when recalling the incident. “I’ve seen a lot of stuff in my life, but I’ve never seen something like that.”
Phelps assailed Ambrose with a foldable shopping cart and managed to get him away from Prophete and off the bus. Ambrose did take a swipe at Phelps during the confrontation, though he didn’t connect.
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Police would eventually catch Ambrose and charge him with aggravated battery.
Meanwhile, Prophete was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for his wounds.
A family member of Prophete couldn’t thank Phelps enough for his quick-thinking during the harrowing encounter.
“Were it not for (Phelps) and his willingness to sacrifice his life, we would not be here for my family, Mr. Prophete,” said Abiona Adadevoh.
This isn’t the first time a driver has been attacked at work. There have been 143 verbal assaults on drivers since 2016 and in the first 10 months of this year, 11 physical assaults, including the tragic death of driver Thomas Dunn who had his throat slit back in May.
The transit authority has responded to these safety concerns by installing security cameras, putting shields around the drivers and displaying messages that urge passengers to “ride with respect.”
The shield installation is an ongoing effort. At the time of the attack, Prophete’s bus did not have one installed. The cost to put in the shields on 180 buses and eight vans is more than $1 million, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
That’s over $5,000 per shield! And, of course, it only protects the driver. Not the passengers, who may be helpless in the face of an attacker.
“The shields that we have on the bus, it’s better than nothing,” Prophete said before the board. “We have to allow the driver to legally — those who are qualified with licenses — to protect themselves and protect the community.”
Like Prophete, Phelps believes more needs to be done to improve safety.
“If you want that safety, you’re going to have to invest,” Phelps said. “It’s going to take more than shields. … People are going to have to step up.”
Grady you have to stay alive so that you might keep and do your job
So. Just carry. DEEP concealment. You don’t need permission to stay alive.
Sometimes you need permission to keep your job and livelihood.