Seguin, Texas – A boy accidentally discharged a loaded .25-caliber semiautomatic hand gun into the back seat of the school bus he and other students were riding in on Tuesday morning. No one was injured, and the bus driver immediately recovered the gun from the student and contacted local police.
The incident happened around 7:25 a.m. as the school bus entered the parking lot of Jefferson Elementary School, reports KSAT. There were 37 students from three different campuses in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
The name and age of the boy who discharged the gun has not been released because he is a minor. He is a student at Jefferson Elementary School.
According to Seguin Police Chief Jason Brady, the bullet from the boy’s gun hit the back of the school bus seat where another child was sitting. Steel under the seat’s upholstery kept the bullet from going through and might have saved the student’s life, reports the Seguin Gazette.
The incident is under investigation.
“While initial reports show the young student did not threaten anyone with the weapon, this is still a very serious situation and a significant breach of our school safety protocols,” Seguin ISD said in a statement. “The student remains off campus while the investigation continues.”
Brady said the student who accidentally fired the gun won’t be charged but his parents might face charges ranging from a Class C Misdemeanor to a State Jail felony or more, reports KENS5.
Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez said the district might change its policy to require students carry only clear backpacks. Currently, that rule is only in effect for the district’s middle schools and high schools.
Gutierrez also urged parents to lock up their firearms at home.
