CapMetro police handles series of recent stabbings; gives update on bus safety

AUSTIN, Texas - The CapMetro Police Department is handling a series of recent stabbings, with one happening earlier this month. 

Now, we are learning new details about the police force that is less than a year old.

The backstory:

While CapMetro staffing seems to be stretched thin, they say they are working with the limited resources they have.

"As many of you already know, the police department has been extremely busy," said Chief RenEarl Bowie of the CapMetro Police Department.

CapMetro police currently has just 15 officers with only about six on duty at any given time.

"Agencies are struggling to get people to come on board and CapMetro is no different," said Bowie.

Bowie says policing a transit system is unique, with hundreds of buses moving along thousands of stops.

"Our officers maybe have to be in Williamson County one day, the next day they are in Travis County, maybe they are in Leander, maybe they are in the city of Austin, and they have to be aware of this ever-changing environment," said Bowie.

Dig deeper:

The update comes as safety concerns continue.

Earlier this month, two people were injured in a stabbing on a South Lamar bus mid-afternoon during SXSW 2026. A Good Samaritan who stepped in is still recovering from serious injuries.

"Since June 2025, the CapMetro Police Department has addressed 196 total offenses, which means crimes against persons, crimes against property, and crimes against society," said Bowie.

Police also investigated two stabbings in the same week at the end of January. One in Northeast Austin on Cameron Road, where officers say a man walked from the front of the bus to the middle and stabbed another man three times, twice in the back and once in the chest.

Just days later in downtown Austin, police say a woman told officers a man boarded a bus drunk and using racial slurs. She threatened to stab him and, after he told her to go ahead, she stabbed him in the chest.

"It's not feasible for us to put an officer on a specific route because then two things happen: We lose the officer, the officer can't respond, and two, that officer is moving and now backup becomes an issue," said Bowie.

What's next:

Instead, the department is focusing on high-need areas like Rundberg and Lamar and increasing their presence at transit centers, especially during early morning hours.

Bowie says it hopes to have 40 officers on its force by 2030 as part of its strategic plan.