SacRT employee fatally stabs boy during fight at Rancho Cordova bus station, deputies say
A 16-year-old boy died in the hospital after he was stabbed by a Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) ambassador on Thursday, authorities said. SacRT claims the employee acted in self-defense.
Deputies responded to the SacRT transit center off Mills Station Road, near Folsom Boulevard and Mather Field Road, in Rancho Cordova after receiving multiple calls from witnesses saying there was a fight involving the teens and the ambassador, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said.
SacRT said the ambassador asked the teens, the 16-year-old and a teenage girl, to get off the light rail for vaping, which is a violation.
Investigators are still working through how the employee and the teens got off the train together, but ultimately, a physical altercation started near a bus stop a few yards from the train platform.
In a statement to CBS Sacramento, SacRT says the employee acted in self-defense and "that the employee was attacked by the two teens." The statement said:
"The safety of our riders and employees remains our highest priority. We will continue to support law enforcement and take any further necessary actions to assist officials as more information becomes available."
The boy was taken to the hospital, where he later died, according to the sheriff's office. As of Friday, the Sacramento County Coroner's Office confirmed to CBS Sacramento they are still working to identify the teen and notify his family.
On Thursday, the ambassador was detained by law enforcement, but was released and has not been charged at this time.
Deputies said when an investigation is complete, any findings will be sent to the district attorney, who will then decide if there will be any charges.
SacRT released a statement saying its police force is investigating the incident with Rancho Cordova police.
"The ongoing investigation indicates that the employee was attacked by the two teens, which led to a stabbing in self-defense," the statement said.
The Mills Station closed early Thursday following the incident and reopened Friday.
SacRT said the employee is a transit ambassador, a role that helps riders with fare payments and provides route and schedule information.
"Transit ambassadors are trained in de-escalation and customer service techniques, and although we don't know the specifics of what transpired, they are not authorized to carry knives," a SacRT spokesperson said in a statement.
The duties of the job include being the "eyes and ears of our security programming," but these employees are non-sworn, customer service-focused employees who work on trains, at stations, and in park-and-ride lots.
