A Schenevus school bus driver sped away from a stop on State Highway 7 in Maryland, New York, on Wednesday, Oct. 28, after someone outside the bus pointed what appeared to be a weapon at the driver during the afternoon drop-off. Fifteen students were aboard and witnessed the incident, which unfolded as the bus was stopped to let a student off on the ride home.
The driver immediately left the bus stop and radioed the school, according to WKTV. School staff then called 911, prompting a response from New York State Police, who began investigating the report that a man had pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the bus while it was making the stop. State police went on to arrest an Oneonta man that same day following a menacing complaint, as reported by The Daily Star.
Accounts of exactly what the man was holding have varied. The Daily Star's report describes the allegation as involving what appeared to be a rifle, even though its own headline refers to a toy gun. WKTV's coverage similarly carries a headline describing a toy gun while attributing to the Schenevus Central School District a report that the object appeared to be a weapon. Neither outlet has resolved which description is accurate, and the exact nature of the object remains unclear.
School District Notifies Families, Pledges Review
The Schenevus Central School District notified the families of students who were on the bus at the time of the incident, per the same WKTV report. District officials said they would release more information when available and appropriate, and they said they appreciated the quick response of the bus driver, school personnel, and law enforcement.
Moving forward, the district plans to convene its school safety committee to review procedures and to meet with its transportation department to determine next steps, according to the district's account relayed by the same outlet. New York State Police confirmed on their own site that troopers responded to Schenevus Central School on Wednesday to investigate the report, according to New York State Police, though the agency's published account is only available as a partial excerpt.
A Pattern of Bus-Targeting Incidents
The Schenevus case is not the only recent instance of someone allegedly brandishing a weapon near a school bus in New York this year. In Westchester County, a 19-year-old was charged after allegedly pulling a handgun from his waistband and pointing it at a school bus driver who was transporting three special-needs students, in what authorities described as a road-rage incident, according to the Westchester County District Attorney. In that case, too, the bus driver's first move was to get away from the threat, heading for the nearest highway exit as the other vehicle fled the scene.
Back in Otsego County, the driver's quick decision to leave the stop and radio for help mirrors that instinct to prioritize the safety of the children aboard. With 15 students having witnessed the incident firsthand, Schenevus Central School District now faces the task of reassuring families while its safety committee and transportation department work through what comes next.
