FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Jamal Jahmarley Meyers, the man accused of fatally shooting 2 people and wounding 2 others after unleashing 21 shots inside a Broward County Transit bus, appeared in court on Wednesday.
After refusing to appear in previous hearings, it was the first time we’ve seen him in court.
The brief hearing in the Broward County Courthouse was a discussion on replacing his legal representation since the public defender appointed to represent him has a conflict of interest.
“I myself represent a co-defendant on one of the violation of probation cases. I certify there is a conflict,” a lawyer from the Public Defender’s Office for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Broward County, told the judge Wednesday.
“At this point, I need to appoint a special public defender,” the judge said.
He then addressed Meyers: “I want to make sure you have an attorney that is only looking out for you and doesn’t have other issues.”
On Thursday, March 17, police said the 34-year-old unleashed terror on the bus.
An arrest report said that Meyers began shooting at people seated in the rear of the bus.
Video surveillance from Broward County Terminal Bus #21005 showed the bus driving westbound within the 700 block of West Broward Boulevard when the man, later identified as Meyers, took out a semi-automatic handgun from his right front pocket at 3:23 p.m. and fired 12 rounds at riders seated in the rear of the bus. After firing the rounds, he then reloaded the handgun and shots 9 more rounds. Investigators said that the final round was shot at 3:24 p.m.
Gregory Campbell, 33, of Lauderdale Lakes, and Danny Colon, 41, of Hollywood, were killed.
The bus driver was credited with quick thinking that most likely saved lives by going the wrong way down West Broward Boulevard in order to get to the Fort Lauderdale Police department nearby as the gunman was shooting.
What prompted the shooting or who the intended target was are not clear, but Meyers has an extensive criminal history. He’s been arrested 21 times in Broward County with the state even flagging him as a habitual offender back in 2019. Meyers was on probation when this shooting happened.
The two men that were wounded did survive their injuries we are told. Their identities won’t be released per Fort Lauderdale police because they are witnesses to a homicide.
Meyers has another court appearance set for Wednesday, March 30.