Gunman who hijacked bus was wanted in girlfriend's murder

DALLAS, Texas -- A man wanted for the murder of his girlfriend opened fire on a Dallas-area public bus on Sunday, hijacking it with two people aboard and leading officers on a chase that ended in a shootout in which the man was killed and three officers were wounded, according to police officials.

The man, who has been identified by police as 31-year-old Ramon Thomas Villagomez, got on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus in Richardson, just north of Dallas, at around 11 a.m. and opened fire, shattering windows, said Gordon Shattles, a DART spokesman.

Detectives said Villagomez was a wanted suspect for the murder of his girlfriend out of San Antonio. He was also wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon of a relative out of Brazoria County.

Villagomez took the driver hostage and fired at DART officers who tried to stop the vehicle while police from other agencies joined the pursuit eastward along the President George Bush Turnpike, said Garland police officer Pedro Barineau.

"During the pursuit, shots were continually being fired from [Villagomez] inside the bus toward the officers and the officers were returning fire," Barineau said.

Police eventually used a spike strip to stop the vehicle along the freeway in the suburb of Rowlet.

Villagomez continued firing as he exited the bus after it stopped, and officers returned fire, killing him, said Barineau. A DART public transportation officer and a Garland police officer were shot and wounded, but their injuries weren't considered life-threatening, he said.

A Rowlett police officer also was injured when the window of his patrol vehicle was shot out, according to Rowlett police spokesman Cruz Hernandez. He said the officer is expected to recover.

Shattles had earlier said two officers, a DART officer and a Garland officer, were wounded.

Another passenger was on the bus during the chase, but was not injured, Shattles said.

Officers from Richardson, Garland, Dallas, Rowland and DART, which serves Dallas and its suburbs, took part in the chase. No motive for the shooting has been released. An investigation continues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.