Left: Zhontay Capers (Philadelphia police). Right: Bernard Gribbin (Facebook).
A 24‑year‑old woman boarded a Philadelphia bus, brandished a gun, and shot the driver multiple times in broad daylight. She has now been sentenced to prison.
Zhontay Capers pleaded guilty to third‑degree murder and five counts of recklessly endangering another person, among other charges, for the death of 45‑year‑old Bernard Gribbin. Court records show she received a sentence ranging from 33½ to 67 years.
Gribbin had dedicated 12 years of service to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
According to prosecutors, Gribbin pulled up to a stop around 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, near Germantown and Abbottsford Avenues when Capers opened fire, striking him on his right side. She left the bus, turned around, and shot him again. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.
Capers fled the scene but was subsequently apprehended.
“Bernard will never be forgotten,” said Will Vera, president of Transport Workers Union Local 234, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
SEPTA board chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. and general manager Scott A. Sauer told the newspaper that, in response to the murder, they are collaborating with state legislators to toughen penalties for assaults on transit workers.
“Unfortunately, nothing can bring Bernard back to us. In his memory, we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure the safety and security of the hardworking men and women who provide the public transit services that hundreds of thousands of our residents rely on every day,” the statement read.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner condemned the shooting as “inexcusable.”
“All Philadelphians have the right to feel safe on public transit, especially those working to provide these essential services to our city,” he wrote on X.
Witnesses told local Fox affiliate WTXF that passengers scrambled to exit the bus through windows and emergency exits. No one else was injured.
Police have not identified a motive, but Capers’ family released a statement to WTXF saying she was “experiencing a mental health crisis.”
“Her grandmother, who raised her, passed away a week ago after a brief battle with cancer,” the statement explained. “We knew that was her breaking point. Zhontay isolated herself from family during her paranoid state. Unfortunately, she didn’t meet the criteria for an involuntary hospitalization.”
The family had not heard from her until the shooting was reported and said the mental‑health system failed her.
“Our hope is that she gets the mental health support she truly needs once justice is served!” the statement concluded.
Gribbin’s family and coworkers gathered for a balloon release to honor him, describing him as an outstanding employee and friend.
“We all come here just to take care of our families just like Bernard did,” SEPTA Midvale District union representative Keith Bradford told ABC affiliate WPVI. “None of us expect that when we put on our uniform in the morning it will be the last time we return.”
“We need a bullet‑proof door or something,” Bradford added. “Bernard lost his life for what? He was simply doing his job.”
Gribbin always kept a positive outlook, even during tough times.
“Bernard would laugh at us, and tell us to keep our heads up and keep our foot on the gas,” Bradford recalled.
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