PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The woman who admitted to killing a SEPTA bus driver in Germantown three years ago was sentenced Friday to at least three decades in prison. SEPTA said it is working to pass a law in the victim’s honor.
Bernard Gribbin was driving his regular Route 23 bus along Germantown Avenue on Oct. 26, 2023, when 24-year-old Zhontay Capers shot him six times in the chest.
In a packed courtroom on Friday, prosecutors played a video that showed the SEPTA bus roll to a stop before someone ran off the bus in fear.
Capers was seen quickly walking away and stuffing her shirt to make it seem like she was pregnant to conceal her identity.
The judge called Capers “an enormous danger to the public” and said she has done “unspeakable harm.”
Gribbin, a 48-year-old Army veteran, was described as the “heart” of his family — beloved by his SEPTA coworkers who filled the courtroom to support his family.
Capers suffers from a significant mental health illness and apologized to the family. She said she realizes how many people she hurt.
She will spend 32 ½ to 67 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder and related offenses. Capers’ attorney Gina Amoriello said they will appeal.
In a statement, SEPTA said it is actively working with lawmakers to pass the Bernard N. Gribbin Law to strengthen penalties against those who are aggressive toward public transit operators:
Today’s sentencing of Bernard’s killer delivers justice in response to this senseless violence.
Unfortunately, nothing can bring Bernard back to us. But in his memory, we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure the safety and security of the hardworking men and women who provide the public transit services that hundreds of thousands of our residents rely on every day. We have partnered with the Transport Workers Union (TWU), SEPTA Transit Police and transit agencies across Pennsylvania to reduce assaults and other acts of aggression aimed at our bus operators and other frontline personnel.
And we are actively working with state lawmakers to pass the Bernard N. Gribbin Law to strengthen penalties for assaults against public transit operators. Our hope is that stiffer penalties will ultimately deter these attacks from happening. This was a heinous crime, and one that we should never forget. But in Bernard’s name, we can send a powerful message of support to our frontline transit workers. Let’s stand with them, and ensure accountability for those who would do them harm.
