Three years after a disgruntled employee of a major San Francisco Bay Area transport system shot and killed nine co-workers, another shooting incident involving two co-workers occurred at the same company.
According to investigators, on the night of September 20, Valley Transit Authority (VTA) 45-year old Filipino ten-year bus operator Regulus “Reggie’ Teotico was shot three times allegedly by another bus operator Duk Ming Bui at a VTA bus yard after a reported dispute over a gambling debt.
This comes after the May 2021 tragic shooting at a VTA facility instigated by former mechanic Sam Cassidy that resulted in the deaths of nine employees before the suspect shot himself.
KTVU reported that Bui had a brief court appearance September 25 where he did not enter a plea and is currently in jail without bail. The 33-year-old new father was charged for enhanced murder with a gun and is scheduled to be back in court in December 10. He faces 50 years to life imprisonment sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors said that Bui went to Shibuya yard on South Seventh Street to pay thousands of dollars in gambling debt owed Teotico and that Bui arrived with a gun.
A witness and friend of Teotico claimed that he saw the two men outside their cars talking and then he heard three shots, corroborating the investigators’ report that Bui shot Teotico three times before leaving the crime VTA yard in a white Nissan Versa.
Investigators revealed the Bui pulling a gun out of a bag and shooting Teotico on CCTV. Deputies recovered 340 caliber shells at the scene even as investigation is still going on.
According to Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Captain Sugey Jaimez, Bui and Teotico participated in many of the same activities outside of work.
“Most importantly, although this investigation is still ongoing, we believe the motive had to do with money owed between the two from their betting activities that had nothing to do with their employment,” Captain Jaimez expressed.
Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen referred to the incident as “a senseless crime, without question.
“And while it was an isolated, targeted event, we recognize the profound impact it has had on all of us,” Jonsen pronounced.
VTA officials and employees said both were always very friendly, and they never saw either get mad at each other.
VTA Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Gonot describes 10-year bus driver Teotico as a “kind, hard-working driver who was well known amongst his colleagues.”
“Regis was a father to two teenage children and everyone at VTA extends their deepest condolences to Regis’ family and friends,” Gonot added.
The obituary for Teotico can be found in (https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-jose-ca/regulus-teotico-12006012).The family requests that donations be made to their Go Fund Me account Donate to In Loving Memory of Regulus Teotico, organized by Theresa Garrido instead of flowers.
