Video Of Brutal Fight Calls Safety Into Question On Sacramento Regional Transit

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Cellphone video captured a brutal attack on Sacramento's light rail system, raising concerns whether passengers are safe using Regional Transit.

It's been a year since a man was shot dead on Sacramento light rail, but disturbing videos put that safety in question again.

The video starts with a woman yelling at a man. She doesn't give up, and punches him in the face. The man she's with goes in after her, and it gets graphic.

Riders CBS13 spoke to say they're used to things like that attack happening, and they just move out of the way. They say they're fed up with what they call a false sense of security.

"If there's so much protection on the light rail how could something like that happen," said Angelina Lema.

"Their job is just to be a visual deterrent, that's it," said rider Tasha Crawford.

Lt. Norm Leong is in charge of Regional Transit, and says there are now guards and cameras on every train. Investigators track down the people responsible, and in this case, he says the victim didn't cooperate.

"The person that was the primary person being assaulted did not want to talk to police about what happened," he said.

CBS13 took a ride with Leong and found guards move from rail car to rail car within a train. He emphasizes guards are not police officers, and they patrol with radios.

"We're working on to where we think they can be. So that's a process," he said.

Leong says he also relies on riders to report crime if they see it. There are also emergency buttons on every train for those who need immediate attention.