Bus Hijacking That Turned Into a Cult Drama

A couple from Jasper, Arkansas, took 17 people hostage on a bus in July 1982. They held guns and a bag that looked like it had dynamite, but investigators later discovered the sticks were painted red. The Haiglers wanted to spotlight their religion and believed that ending their lives would bring them back a few days later. They were shot by snipers, but the wife finished the job. All passengers escaped unharmed.The pair were part of a group called FOU, short for the Foundation of Ubiquity. The movement claimed its founder, Emory Lamb Sr. , received a vision that led to the organization’s creation. Lamb owned a shop where he sprayed signs saying “FOU Was Here. ” A wanderer named Keith Hagler came across the store, read a pamphlet about FOU, and brought his wife along. They were the only people outside Lamb’s immediate family who followed him. The bus incident drew a lot of media attention, but the coverage was more critical than supportive. The Haiglers had hoped the drama would promote their faith, but journalists focused on the violent aspects instead. The event remains a dark chapter in the story of a fringe group that tried to use extreme actions for religious purposes.