A man has been arrested after hijacking a public bus in New York City.
NBC News 4 reports that on Thursday morning, a man with a fake gun approached a city bus in Queens, New York, before 9 a.m. and told the driver to open the door.
The driver reportedly jumped out of a window, and the suspect drove the bus for a few blocks, then crashed it into a utility pole.
The suspect was reportedly arrested at the scene. Meanwhile, the driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Additionally, NBC News 4 shared there were seven passengers on board who did not appear injured.
A man took a New York City MTA bus hostage this morning forcing the driver to drive the bus at gunpoint about a mile and a half. The driver made a daring escape and jumped out of the window. The bus proceeded to crash into a utility poll, causing power outages in the area. pic.twitter.com/iMYKTEhEHU
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) October 27, 2022
This is just another crime story that will likely play to Republicans’ advantage in New York, where crime has become a major issue.
New York has not elected a Republican governor in 20 years, but if there was any year where Democrats might be at risk of losing their grip on the governor’s mansion, it is 2022.
In recent weeks, polls have tightened significantly for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who once held a nearly 20-point lead over Rep. Lee Zeldin (R). According to FiveThirtyEight, as of Thursday, Hochul now holds a 7.3-point lead.
Admittedly, the polling average is not super close or close enough to really label it a toss-up. But with less than two weeks out, it does appear the momentum may be shifting in Zeldin’s direction. Still, with the numbers of Democratic voters in the state and its electoral track record, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hochul wins with a somewhat comfortable margin.
If you were hired to write a fictional book or a screenplay for a movie involving a gubernatorial campaign in one of the most populous states in the country, you would probably want some splashy, crazy scandals or events.
Now imagine you came up with the plot line where one candidate is the incumbent governor who assumed the office after a sexual harassment scandal took down her predecessor.
And the other candidate and sitting Congressman was attacked on stage only to have his assailant released without bail hours later, and later his daughters had to seek shelter in their own home due to a shooting outside, and polls show voters are concerned about rising crime. Meanwhile, he still trails the incumbent, who has failed to quell fears about crime.
The studio or publishing house might tell you your story is just a little too far-fetched.
But in the 2022 New York gubernatorial race, that is the reality. This is a really crazy race.
Fortunately, for residents in the state, a Republican upset is not out of the question. So keep an eye on the New York race. It could be the sleeper election of 2022.