LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — A shocking video shows a man, identified as Aaron Cole, stabbing Dominique Lucas 33 times on an RTC bus in Las Vegas, leading to Lucas’ death. The video shows the argument that took place between the two men before Cole stabbed Lucas multiple times on the floor of the bus, while other passengers watched in horror.
Despite Lucas pleading for help from the bus driver, Cole continued to stab him until the bus stopped. According to grand jury transcripts, the driver kept the doors closed for the safety of the victim and other passengers. Cole was arrested on the bus and charged with murder, and the video was used as evidence in his indictment.
This was not Cole’s first violent offense, as ten days prior to this incident, he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and carrying concealed weapons for threatening someone with a knife on a bus.
In 1994, Cole was also arrested for second-degree murder after shooting a man in a Salvation Army lobby. He served 23 years in prison and was released in 2017.
After the February 16 incident, Judge Joseph Sciscento released Cole on his own recognizance, ordering him to avoid contact with the victim. Cole’s pre-trial risk assessment deemed him “low risk.”
The video of the incident on the RTC bus is a disturbing reminder of the dangers of violent people and the importance of public safety measures. The tragedy raises important questions about how to prevent violent offenses, particularly in individuals with a history of violent crime, and how to ensure the safety of all public transportation passengers.
And of course, it also highlights the need to be prepared to defend yourself if you’re ever in a similar situation, whether it be carrying a firearm, blade, pepper spray, skills with avoiding confrontation, and so much more.
