A Chicago man has been charged after a 12-year-old boy allegedly found a handgun in an unattended bag on a school bus and fired a shot during afternoon dismissal at Minnie Miñoso Academy.
The incident happened at about 2.30pm on Monday, 14 September, in the Bridgeport area. Police said the boy removed the firearm from the bag and discharged it, striking a window on the bus. No one was injured.
Steven Dixon Jr, 22, who worked as a school bus aide, is accused of leaving the bag unattended. Police said he took the weapon and the bag after the shot was fired before leaving the scene.
Dixon faces one felony charge of possessing or carrying a firearm on school property, along with three misdemeanour counts of endangering a child and one misdemeanour count of reckless conduct.
The school was placed under lockdown while officers responded, although parents were allowed to collect their children. Dr Carrie Ann Cole, the academy’s principal, said Chicago police and the Chicago Public Schools Office of Safety and Security were notified immediately.
In a message to families, Dr Cole said: “The safety of your children is always our top priority.”
Parent Shonterrie Orr, who arrived shortly after the shooting, said she saw someone running but initially did not know why. She told local media she was concerned about what might have happened had the bullet travelled through the opposite side of the bus towards the school.
Dixon is due to appear in court on Tuesday, 15 September, for a detention hearing.
