Federal prosecutors say a daytime shootout that rattled a Charlotte school bus full of kids is now landing one of the accused gunmen squarely in the federal system.
Paris Lewis-Bynum, 21, entered a plea in federal court Friday in a case tied to the Dec. 16, 2024, exchange of gunfire that sent bullets into a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus carrying about 30 students. Prosecutors say Lewis-Bynum is linked to the shootout and faces parallel state charges, and court filings allege investigators recovered a rifle stolen from a North Carolina state trooper's patrol vehicle that may have been used in the incident.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Lewis-Bynum entered a plea to a federal charge of possessing a firearm as a felon. The paper reports that his federal sentencing date has not been set and that related state-level proceedings remain pending.
How Authorities Say the Shooting Unfolded
Police say the gunfire erupted during a drug-related dispute on the 8800 block of E.W.T. Harris Boulevard near Albemarle Road on Dec. 16, 2024. Video from the scene shows rounds piercing a school bus window as students screamed and scrambled for cover.
Local station WCCB published footage and interviews showing two Albemarle Road Middle School students treated for cuts from broken glass after the bullets hit.
Charges and Allegations
State prosecutors have charged Lewis-Bynum with counts including possession of a firearm by a felon and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Police documents show multiple arrests tied to the scene.
Local reporting by WSOC notes that authorities allege Lewis-Bynum broke into a State Highway Patrol vehicle in Ballantyne shortly before the shooting and stole a rifle prosecutors later linked to the bus and to damage at a nearby church.
Legal Consequences and Next Steps
Federal law bars people with felony convictions from possessing firearms, and a conviction under the federal statute can carry substantial prison time, according to the Legal Information Institute summary of 18 U.S.C. § 924.
As The Charlotte Observer reports, Lewis-Bynum's federal sentencing date has not been scheduled, and county court and administrative proceedings tied to the case remain on the calendar in Mecklenburg County.
Community Reaction
The shooting reignited long-simmering worries about safety on CMS bus routes and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Parents and community leaders told local outlets they want faster, more aggressive action to keep gunfire away from school corridors.
WBTV reported parents describing the incident as terrifying, saying it was the kind of call they hope never to get. CMS officials offered counselors to support students in the days after the attack, as families tried to process how a routine ride home turned into a near miss.
