Missouri parent pulls gun on school bus; school administrators respond



BERKELEY, Mo. (KTVI) -- Parents in Missouri were shaken up Wednesday evening after another parent got on a school bus and pulled a gun.

The incident started with a fight between girls on the bus after an ongoing feud.

Administrators said a parent with a gun got involved. He was later arrested by Berkeley police.

“One of the adults broke the window on the bus door, and that individual had a gun and gained access to the bus,” said Kevin Hampton, spokesperson for Ferguson-Florissant School District.

Parent Lisa Bishop said: “I was scared. My life flashed before my eyes.”

Her daughter, Brianna, was one of the girls involved in the fight. “The girl that was on the bus hit me out of nowhere,” said Brianna Bishop.

The bus driver and two monitors tried to stop the parent from getting on the bus, administrators said, adding that the parent was on the bus for a little over 30 seconds. The driver called for help.

“When I saw the police and the bus, it was like, wow, to know that someone had a gun on the bus is scary,” said Delma Marshall, a parent picking up his child at the stop.

“This is kids. This is ‘he-say, she-say.’ Why are you getting involved in this?” Lisa Bishop said she asked the other parent involved.

Hampton said the school district is working to improve safety on school buses.

“We’ve increased the number of security officers and several other safety and security steps,” he said. “Safety is first and then teaching our students well is second.”

Lisa Bishop said this is not the first time violence between students has happened on the bus. She said her daughter will no longer be riding.

“I don’t want anything to happen to my child,” said Lisa Bishop. “I only have one child, and if I lose her, it will be a whole different ball game.”

She confirmed that her daughter was suspended for 10 days after the fight.

The school district sent out an email to let parents know about the incident. It said in part:

"FFSD is cooperating fully with Berkeley police in their investigation.  Those involved will likely face criminal charges, and students who do not meet the expectations listed in the Student Expectation Code will face consequences from the District. Your child’s safety is our first priority.  Please take a moment to talk with your child about making good choices and the dangerous consequences of making bad choices."