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In a significant shift, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass publicly acknowledged Wednesday that she did not think the city’s Metro system is safe.
Just last month, she touted LA’s public transit system declaring “the metro is safe” while celebrating an increase in ridership.
When asked Wednesday whether she still thought riding Metro was safe, she responded she did “not feel the same way.”
Her admission came amid escalating fears among commuters following a string of violent incidents, including three within 48 hours.
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Some Metro passengers said their anxiety reached a boiling point after the recent attacks, including a woman being stabbed inside a Metro elevator in South LA.
“I’ve seen purse snatching, I’ve seen people being pushed over,” Rashed Sahir, a metro rider, said.
The ongoing violence intensified calls for immediate intervention from passengers.
“What is she doing to fix it?” Elizabeth Vasquez asked.
Mayor Bass acknowledged that there’s been an “issue with crime” over the past few weeks, adding she’s working on a motion to call for an increase of police patrol and visibility on buses and trains.
“Clearly there is a spike. Clearly we will aggressively address that,” said Bass, who also said .
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger also said she was working with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as well as Long Beach Police on a plan for increased enforcement. The agencies also confirmed their involvement.