DALLAS — A DART Transit Security Officer shot a person on a train who allegedly attacked them, officials told WFAA.
Ivy Mathis was arrested for assaulting the Transit Security Officer (TSO).
According to DART Police, the officer was on a northbound Red Line train at Walnut Hill Station in Dallas at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Monday and had been assaulted. The security guard shot their gun, DART Police said, and Mathis ran away but was caught.
Mathis was taken to Presbyterian Hospital with a gunshot wound to the arm, DART Police said. No other passengers on the train were injured.
Teresa Stacy, a regular DART transportation rider, was on the train when the assault and shooting happened.
"About three minutes into the ride, you heard 'pop pop pop!'" said Stacy. "Really loud, like four shots."
Gordon Shattles with DART could not confirm how many times the TSO fired his gun, saying it as part of the investigation.
DART told WFAA that TSO asked Mathis to leave when Mathis did not pay for his ride on the train. Mathis then hit the officer multiple times in the face, swelling his eye.
"Our TSO then responded by firing his weapon, striking that individual," Shattles said.
Mathis was shot once in the arm.
Shattles said the officer is recovering, and Mathis is also stable. Mathis is currently in the Dallas jail with a $5,000 bond and charged with assault.
Mathis has a lengthy criminal history that includes drug possession, evading arrest and other instances of not paying transportation fares.
Stacy said she felt like she was in "survival mode" when she heard the gunshots. She said people on the train ducked into their seats. Other riders hovered over others to protect them.
"I don't get scared often but I was very, very scared," Stacy said.
In July, DART added more than 100 TSOs to DART busses and trains, in addition to the more than 250 DART officers it already has. Shattles said it's a new pilot program, driven by the increase in crime on DART transportation.
"Definitely as we come out of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in crime," Shattles said. "It correlates very closely with what we've seen with our service area cities, as well."
While crime on DART transportation has gone up, Shattles said assaults like Monday night's are rare.
"There was absolutely no reason for it," Shattles said.
Shattles added that it's part of a TSO's job to make sure fares are paid.
Stacy said her head is naturally looking in all directions while using the city transportation.
"I know [DART] got the officers on there now and they're doing what they can, but it wouldn't hurt to do a little bit more," Stacy said. "It's getting out of hand."
Shattles said DART is continuing to hire TSOs and other DART security.
DART Police will lead the investigation.
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