MBTA Bus Hit By Bullet In Roxbury

BOSTON (CBS) - It took Angel Padilla a minute to realize it was a bullet that struck the MBTA bus he was riding on just after midnight.

"There was a pop, you obviously heard a shot," he tells WBZ-TV. He was headed home from work on the Number One bus in Roxbury when it came to the intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Albany Street.

"I realized something was going on," Padilla said. "The bus driver was turning onto Melnea Cass and crashed into a light pole which broke the right mirror. The bus actually jerked."

He says the reaction from the driver made him realize the gravity of the situation. "He was in shock and kept asking 'did I get hit, did I get hit.'"

Padilla says the bullet hit the windshield just above the steering wheel making it a close call for the driver. "I was really grateful for him," Padilla said. "When I saw where it was, there's no reason why that bullet didn't go through that and hit him in the stomach. I just looked at him and said 'that's God.'"

At the same time the bus was struck, Boston Police were responding to a call for shots fired about a block away. Police say it's likely the bus was hit by a stray bullet. They are investigating the connection between the two incidents and are looking for suspects who were involved.

Angel Padilla was one of two passengers on board the bus who were not injured. When it comes to the driver, he says he's someone who believes in divine intervention. "I told him my name is Angel and he looked at me and said 'whoa.' Ultimately I feel like we're all protected," he said.

It was a routine bus ride home that could have taken a tragic turn.