Passenger Drops Gun on Fresno FAX Bus, Bullet Strikes Ceiling and Door Frame

A routine afternoon commute on a Fresno Area Express bus turned chaotic around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when a passenger dropped a firearm near the intersection of Belmont and Fresno Street in Central Fresno, and the weapon discharged as the person tried to retrieve it.

Officers said the incident unfolded as a group of passengers was getting off the bus. One of them dropped the gun, causing it to fall to the floor. When the person attempted to pick up the weapon, it went off, firing a round into the ceiling and the metal door frame of the bus. No passengers on board or bystanders nearby were injured.

The bus driver alerted authorities after hearing the gunshot, prompting Fresno Police Department officers to respond to the scene. Investigators are still working to determine what led to the gun being brought onto the bus and who was involved. No arrests or charges had been reported as of Tuesday.

The incident adds to a string of safety concerns connected to the FAX transit system, which serves thousands of daily riders across Fresno County. Fresno Area Express has not issued a public statement on the discharge or whether the affected bus was taken out of service for inspection.

Police have not confirmed whether the firearm was legally possessed, the make or caliber of the weapon, or whether surveillance footage from the bus has been reviewed as part of the investigation.