SPRING, Texas (KTRK) — A manhunt is underway for a suspect accused of stopping a Spring ISD bus and pointing a gun at the bus driver and students on Monday morning, according to deputies.
The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office said it responded to a disturbance involving the school bus near 24505 Birnam Wood Blvd.
Investigators said they identified the suspect as a 20-year-old man who allegedly fled the area after taking out the gun.
SkyEye flew over the scene just before 7 a.m., where a bus was parked in a school driveway with multiple deputies surrounding the area.
A neighbor’s cameras captured the moment. The video shows a vehicle parked in the middle of an intersection, blocking the bus.
Moments later, someone walks to the door and demands that the driver open it.
One of the students on the bus told ABC13 what happened next.
“I looked up, and the first thing I saw was the gun,” the student recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.'”
Pct. 4 said it worked with Spring ISD to get the students to safety, adding that no injuries were reported.
Deputies say the incident remains under investigation as they continue to look for the suspect.
Before a bus driver gets behind the wheel, region 4 business operations director Jack Mann told ABC13, they undergo 20 hours of training. Some of that, he said, includes how to handle dangerous situations.
“We talk about placing themselves in between any threat and the students,” Mann explained. “How to use the bigger parts of their bodies, their legs, etc., should they have to keep somebody off the bus.”
Mann said districts have their own policies. Some of which he said include bus drivers having weapon codes, and others having communication between buses and school officers.
We asked Spring ISD what its safety policies are for its bus drivers, but the district didn’t share the information.
Spring ISD sent the following statement about the incident:
“This morning, an incident occurred involving a Spring ISD school bus serving Spring High School. An individual who is not a Spring ISD student briefly entered the bus at a bus stop and displayed what appeared to be a gun toward the driver before leaving the area.
The bus driver followed safety protocols and drove to a nearby campus, where Spring ISD Police and Harris County Constable Precinct 4 officers met the bus. Students were safely transferred to another bus and transported to school. All students and the driver are safe, and no injuries were reported.
There is no active threat to any Spring ISD campus. Spring ISD Police, in coordination with Harris County Constable 4, are actively investigating the incident and working to locate the identified suspect. Counseling support is available for students and staff.
The safety of our students and staff remains Spring ISD’s highest priority. The district will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and will provide updates as appropriate.”
Anyone with information about the incident or suspect is asked to contact law enforcement.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
For more Houston headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.