X/HPD
Police search for a suspect in the 3200 block Walnut Bend after a woman was shot and killed on a METRO Bus. Jan. 7, 2026. (X/HPD)
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is expanding its safety partnership, the organization announced Wednesday, one week after a woman was killed and a minor was injured following a shooting on a Houston METRO bus.
The partnership, called METRONow, will involve the coordination of the Houston and METRO police departments, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County constables’ offices for precincts 1, 6 and 7. In its announcement of the partnership’s expansion, METRO said riders “may notice additional uniformed officers on train, platforms, buses and at transit centers.”
“Our number one priority is the safety of our riders, operators, and employees,” METRO Police Chief Ban Tien said via a statement. “Through METRONow and with the support of our regional partners, we are increasing visibility, strengthening response capabilities, and reinforcing confidence in METRO as a welcoming and reliable transportation option.”
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The partnership first began in November 2025, with increased police presence along METRO’s Red Line. METRO’s Green and Purple lines were added in December. Now, METRO said it will continue to expand the initiative across its entire system, including on buses, transit facilities, and “high-ridership areas.”
Speaking at a METRO board meeting Wednesday, board first vice-chair Rev. T. Leon Preston said the shooting death on a METRO bus last week was a tragic way to start the year.
“We’ve been faced with an unexpected shooting, and I believe that as an agency, everything that we can do to place safety measures in place is very important,” Preston said. “We have a wonderful METRO police team, and I just want to say thank you for all that you do, thank you for what you’re doing, and we respect the fact that your lives are constantly on the line for us.”
Last Wednesday, a 25-year-old woman was shot and killed on a METRO bus and a 16-year-old was injured. On Friday, HPD said that 17-year-old Brayden Smith was arrested and charged with murder for his alleged role in the shooting. A second man, Patrick Scott, 18, was also arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon. HPD said the two suspected shooters were allegedly arguing on the bus before the gunfire occurred and both fled the scene on foot.
During the meeting, Tien said collaboration between Houston-area local law enforcement is not only beneficial but necessary for such a large urban area.
“Like any big city, we absolutely don’t have the ability, the resources to impact and prevent every single crime,” he said. “The key to how we respond … in order for us to do that, we rely on collaboration, we rely on technology, and most importantly, we rely on those people that are committed out there.”