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Gunfire erupts on school bus outside Chicago school: 'This is crazy'
Gunfire erupted on a school bus during dismissal Monday in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, after a 12-year-old boy allegedly found a firearm inside an unattended bag and fired one shot.
CHICAGO - Gunfire erupted on a school bus during dismissal Monday in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, after a 12-year-old boy allegedly found a firearm inside an unattended bag and fired one shot.
Chicago school bus shooting
What we know:
The gunshot happened during dismissal time at Minnie Miñoso Academy, located at 3527 S. Wallace Street. There was an immediate lockdown but parents were able to pick up their children and leave.
According to Chicago police, a man left a bag unattended on a school bus. A 12-year-old boy located the bag and removed a gun from inside.
Police said the boy then fired one round, striking a window of the bus. There were no reported injuries.
The adult man then took the firearm and bag and fled the scene, according to police.
The incident happened during dismissal as children were leaving the school. An immediate lockdown was put in place, though parents were able to pick up their children and leave.
A parent, Shonterrie Orr, told FOX Chicago she arrived to pick up her children right after it happened.
"This is crazy"
What they're saying:
Orr said her children were standing on the sidewalk, on the passenger pickup side of the bus when the gun went off.
"I seen somebody running but I didn’t know what for. I said, ‘I’m going to get my kids.’ But they were standing on the opposite side of the bus at that gate. So what if he had shot the other side of the window towards the school? This is crazy," Orr said.
Minni Miñoso Academy Principal Dr. Carrie Ann Cole sent a letter to school families on the incident, shared below:
"Dear Miñoso Parents and Guardians,
"The safety of your children is always our top priority, and we are writing to inform you of an incident impacting our school. Today at dismissal, there was a shot fired from inside a school bus transporting students from our school. The shot hit a window on the bus. Thankfully, no one was injured, and all students are safe.
"The Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the CPS Office of Safety and Security were immediately notified. CPS is working with CPD to investigate this situation further. While I cannot provide further details for privacy reasons, I want to assure you that the gun did not enter school grounds and everyone is safe.
"Please know that we take situations like this one extremely seriously. As a reminder, if you are ever made aware of a potential safety concern related to our school, I ask that you notify us immediately so we can ensure the concern is properly addressed. We will continue striving to provide all students with a safe learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly."
What's next:
Area detectives are investigating.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
The Source: The information in this article came from Chicago police, on-the-scene reporting by Fox Chicago's Joanie Lum, Minnie Miñoso Academy and an interview with parent Shonterrie Orr.