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Woman shot aboard Lynx bus in Orange County, deputies say

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Updated  January 6, 2025 7:43pm EST
Orange County
FOX 35 Orlando

Woman accidentally shot on Lynx bus in Orlando

FOX 35's Marie Edinger digs deeper into gun laws as it pertains to transportation after a woman was accidentally shot on a Lynx bus Monday morning.

The Brief

    • A woman was shot in an "accidental discharge" while aboard a Lynx bus in Orange County Monday morning, deputies said.
    • The incident happened around 7 a.m. at the intersection of Alafaya Trail and East Colonial Drive.
    • She was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A woman is hurt after someone on a Lynx bus accidentally shot her.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office says the woman is in her 50s and was brought to a local hospital. She’s going to be okay.

In Florida, you can carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

In the past, getting that license would have meant you go through firearms training to get the weapon. Now, you don’t need any training at all.

Former Detective Jamie Copenhaver says in the Sunshine State, he assumes everyone is packing heat.

"We have so many guns and firearms in Florida. It's expected."

But you don’t expect a fellow bus passenger to accidentally shoot you.

"My big concern is: Okay, everyone has a permit to carry, but what certificates do you have behind them, what training? And there's a lot of expertise when it comes to carrying a gun," said Copenhaver. "I mean, it's scary."

There is a long list of places you legally cannot bring firearms in Florida, like schools, bars, and courthouses.

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A woman was shot in an "accidental discharge" while aboard a Lynx bus in Orange County Monday morning, deputies said.

LYNX’s policy online actually says you can’t, but FOX 35 did not see any signs warning passengers about that rule.

"If their policy is not to carry a weapon on one of their transit systems, it needs to be posted accordingly, not on some hidden website," Copenhaver said.

So what about other public transportation systems?

When Sunrail first started up, it banned weapons. Nowadays, their code of conduct says you can’t bring explosives or flammable materials, but doesn’t mention firearms.

Brightline's firearms policy says all weapons are banned from their property - including stations and trains.

Amtrak says you can have a gun in your checked bag, but not your carry-on.

Uber says you can only have them if they’re unloaded, locked in a hard-sided container, and kept in the trunk.

Lyft says no weapons at all.

"It's your responsibility at the end of the day. If that weapon goes off and you shoot someone accidentally, shame on you," Copenhaver said. "You're going to be exposed to – definitely a civil lawsuit and potentially criminal charges in all those circumstances."

FOX 35 is still working to learn more about how the gun went off.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 6, 2025. 

Orange CountyNews