WILKINS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Police are investigating a late-night, deadly stabbing on a Greyhound bus traveling along Parkway East in Wilkins Township that was headed to Washington, D.C.
The suspect, identified as Javon Garrett, is now charged with criminal homicide, CBS affiliate KDKA reported.
Around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Garrett allegedly started harassing other passengers on the bus, investigators said. According to Pennsylvania State Police, the suspect pulled out a 5-to-6-inch knife and began to stab the victim in the neck multiple times a short time after the harassment began.
Garrett was taken into custody at the scene and treated at the hospital for a hand injury. The victim, identified as Cozell McQueen, was rushed to Forbes Hospital where he died.
While being treated, investigators said Garrett told EMS workers, "I ain't gonna lie, it feel good. He was a demon though; he took many souls."
A Churchill police officer found a knife sheath in Garrett's pants pocket, state police said. Police found a knife on the floor of the bus.
Other people on the bus told investigators that "Garrett attacked the victim without any provocation while the two were seated next to each other."
There were 37 people on board the bus at the time.
The bus was scheduled to leave Pittsburgh just before 7:30 p.m., but was delayed, eventually leaving just before 10:15 p.m., according to Greyhound's bus tracker.
The bus was set to stop in Harrisburg, York and Baltimore before arriving in Washington, D.C. The bus ride turned into a nightmare for dozens of passengers just about 30 minutes into the trip.
"I think in between watching Netflix and dosing off, in between that time by about 10:35 p.m., we heard rough commotion like toward the back of the bus," Thi-Lai Simpson told KDKA.
Simpson and her 16-year-old son were exhausted and heading home to D.C. on the Greyhound bus after spending the weekend in Pittsburgh.
"There was a lady at 10:35 p.m. that began to scream from the back of the bus, 'they're fighting; they're fighting,'" she said.
The bus was traveling on the Parkway East, and it was dark on the bus so people could sleep.
"Even in the dark, I could see blood all over the aisle," Simpson said.
Simpson said the victim stumbled to the front of the bus and the driver eventually pulled over onto the shoulder near Penn Hills. The victim and driver got off and there was still a commotion in the back of the bus.
"My son and I became more and more fearful because we just felt trapped inside of a bus with a man who was saying erratic things," she said. "We just didn't want him to stop in our aisle, we hid our phones, kept our heads down, I kept trying to tell my son, 'look straight forward, just keep it low profile.'"
Simpson said all passengers had to wait on the blood-spattered bus for about an hour as the police took pictures.
Another bus picked them up on the Parkway East and took them to the state police barracks.
Around 3 a.m., Simpson and her son took a $250 Uber back to D.C.
"We're fine. I'll get some help for my son, I think. We're just glad to be home, we're glad to be off the bus," she said.
Simpson said they won't travel on a bus again after this terrifying ordeal.
"Never, never, not just Greyhound, but the bus period," Simpson said.
A Greyhound spokesperson released this statement Monday: "Greyhound is aware of an incident that occurred this morning in Pittsburgh and are fully cooperating with authorities to assist in any way possible. The safety and care of our customers and employees remains our top priority."
Pennsylvania State Police are handling the investigation.