HOUSTON – Three people were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after aerosol mace was sprayed on a Houston METRO train.
METRO officials said the incident occurred around 1:40 p.m. on the Red Line at Preston Station.
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Thursday afternoon, METRO Police Chief Ban Tien held a press conference to explain the situation.
At the start of the presser, Tien acknowledged that these types of incidents are rare for METRO vehicles.
“It’s also important to remind everyone that we successfully carry out hundreds of thousands of rides every single day that are uneventful and most of the time without incident,” Tien said.
He added that the three people who were hospitalized were taken as a precaution, and they were not severely injured.
Chief Tien added that a person of interest has been identified, but the department is waiting until it has “almost 100% [certainty]” to release that person’s identity to the public. There are also lingering questions about the sprayer’s intent, as there did not appear to be a singular target.
It is not clear if charges will be filed at this time.
The department also responded to a question regarding a separate recent incident on a METRO vehicle, involving a fare inspector.
Chief Tien said the employee was assaulted, sustaining “substantial injuries.” He took a moment to encourage the public to keep her in their prayers, and said she went through surgery this morning.
These incidents come less than two weeks after a METRO passenger was shot and killed while on board a bus.
To ensure the safety of its passengers, through its METRO NOW initiative, METRO says safety is its number one priority. They are continuing to coordinate with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harris County Constable’s Office. They are also ensuring METRO police and security patrols are on board buses and trains on various routes.
