ATLANTA — Authorities have confirmed the identity of the 39-year-old man from Maryland who was fatally shot by police after he ran onto a freeway in Atlanta armed with a knife.
The incident occurred shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Thursday on Interstate 75, located south of downtown Atlanta. This situation unfolded when the Greyhound bus, which was traveling to Florida, made an unscheduled stop due to a stabbing incident involving one of its passengers. Robert McVay exited the bus and attempted to flee from the scene.
Upon arrival, police were alerted to the situation and immediately tried to subdue McVay, employing non-lethal methods such as stun guns and pepper spray during the pursuit. Despite their efforts, McVay disregarded the officers’ commands and continued to run across lanes of traffic filled with moving vehicles, according to police reports.
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum stated during a briefing that McVay did not comply with the instruction to drop his knife, and instead approached the officers in a threatening manner. In response, five officers discharged their weapons, leading to McVay being transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The passenger who had been stabbed sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was able to continue on their journey to Florida following the incident.
