Illegal Immigrant Charged After Gun Fires on MARTA Bus, Wounding Passenger
ATLANTA, Ga. – A 53-year-old Mexican national who authorities say was living in the United States illegally is facing a federal firearms charge after a handgun allegedly discharged inside a MARTA bus in Sandy Springs, wounding both him and another passenger.
Guillermo Cruz Velazquez, of Iztapalapa, Mexico, appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States.
According to federal prosecutors, the incident occurred July 22, 2026, while Cruz Velazquez was riding a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) bus in Sandy Springs. Investigators allege a handgun inside his bag discharged a single round, striking a female passenger before passing through and also hitting Cruz Velazquez in the forearm.
After the shooting, the bus stopped and Cruz Velazquez allegedly fled on foot.
Sandy Springs police officers followed a trail of blood to a nearby parking lot, where they located Cruz Velazquez suffering from a gunshot wound to his forearm. Investigators also recovered a bag with a bullet hole in it. A loaded .45-caliber handgun with a spent cartridge case lodged in the ejection port was found in nearby bushes, according to court documents.
“Illegal aliens are not permitted to possess a firearm in our country,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “My office will prosecute criminals who unlawfully possess and misuse dangerous weapons, putting the public’s safety at risk.”
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons said the possession of firearms by prohibited individuals poses a significant public safety threat.
“A firearm in the hands of a prohibited individual is a serious threat to public safety,” Gibbons said. “ATF works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend those who disregard our laws and threaten our communities.”
MARTA Police Chief M. Scott Kreher said the agency remains committed to ensuring passenger safety.
“The safety of our passengers and employees remains our top priority. This incident resulted in injuries to an innocent individual, and our thoughts are with those affected,” Kreher said. “We are working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as the investigation continues.”
Federal authorities said Cruz Velazquez is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further court proceedings.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the MARTA Police Department and the Sandy Springs Police Department, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Bircoll is prosecuting the case.
The criminal complaint is an allegation, and Cruz Velazquez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
