METRO murder suspect ‘being uncooperative,’ according to court officials

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A suspect authorities say is connected to a deadly shooting on a METRO bus appeared in front of a judge Friday morning.

Records show 18-year-old Patrick Scott has been charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon as a result of Wednesday’s incident in the 10800 block of Richmond Avenue.

The Houston Police Department says Scott and fellow suspect Brayden Smith were arguing when the shooting broke out.

According to HPD, Smith fired the shots that killed 25-year-old Caitlin Stup and injured a teenager.

SEE PREVIOUS REPORT: 2 suspects linked to bus shooting that killed a woman taken into custody and charged, METRO says

Furthermore, new details have emerged that the principal of Elsik High School, Dr. Alicia Kerr, informed an Alief ISD gang resource officer, Juan Pinon, that she had recognized Scott in a media release as one of her students who attended Elsik High School.

Smith was also scheduled to appear in front of a judge on Friday morning, but failed to do so because he was “being uncooperative,” according to court officials.

Meanwhile, it was revealed in Scott’s court appearance that he was already out on bond for an unrelated aggravated robbery case.

Prosecutors say Scott wasn’t allowed to carry a weapon as one of the conditions on that bond.

In a statement to Eyewitness News on Friday, METRO said it was working with law enforcement to investigate what happened and to increase visibility and patrols in the area where the shooting occurred.

METRO added that it encouraged riders to report anything they felt might make them uncomfortable and highlighted its surveillance system, which they previously stated allowed law enforcement to quickly locate the suspects in Wednesday’s shooting.

METRO’s statement included five key safety measures they say they’re putting in place to support rapid response and police investigations: expanded METRO Police Department presence, new police substations at key locations, METRO’s Safety Partnership with various local law enforcement agencies, use of surveillance systems to support investigations, and continued investments in lighting, stations and bus shelters to improve rider experience.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story reported that the Houston Police Department said the suspects shot at each other during an argument, striking the victims. While METRO told ABC13 that the suspects exchanged gunfire, HPD said its investigation has not concluded that.

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