School Bus Hijacking and Assault Thwarted Police blame gang affiliation for attempted bus takeover and attempted kidnapping. Quick thinking from a high school bus driver may have saved the lives of the 25 Triton High School students aboard a bus Wednesday afternoon. Coats police officials confirm that an altercation between alleged gang members involving two high school students nearly ended in tragedy. According to police, the driver of the Triton bus, Sha-Wana Cameron, had stopped to unload a passenger at the student’s home when a fight broke out aboard the bus. The altercation took place between two alleged gang members — José Gonzalez, 17, and Pedro Gonzales, 18, both students on the bus. José is allegedly a member of the M.K. Spider gang with its code letters “187,” which in police terminology means homicide. The second student is allegedly a member of a rival gang known as SUR-13. As the fight ensued, the driver and his three passengers — all members of the rival SUR-13 — attempted to storm the bus. The driver of the 2006, silver, Ford Aveo — Roger Rodriguez, 20, of Sweet Jenny Lane, Lillington — while brandishing a weapon, tried to board the stopped bus. The Triton bus driver, Ms. Cameron, thwarted the efforts of the suspect — armed with a 12-gauge shot gun — and his accomplices. As the four suspects attempted to overtake the bus, police say the bus driver quickly slammed the bus door closed and sped away. Both the bus driver and a motorist, witness to the attempted attack, called 911. The four suspects followed the bus closely, unsuccessfully attempting to stop it on two occasions. The bus driver was reportedly transporting the school students to the Coats Police Department, a short distance away. Coats Police Corporal Ken Storicks was able to reach the bus as it traveled along N.C. 27, one mile outside of Coats. One of the assailants, José, eluded the police officer by jumping out of the back door of the school bus. The police official was able to secure the remaining students aboard the bus, leading the student passengers safely to the Coats Police Department. Coats Police and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office were able to apprehend three of the four alleged suspects. The driver, Roger Rodriguez, was surrounded by law enforcers as he tried to conceal the 12-gauge shot gun used in the attempted attack in a wooded area. Taken into custody include the driver, Roger Rodriguez, along with passengers, Richard Gonzalez, 18, Ishmael Gonzalez, 21, and Edgar Ochoa, 17, all of Forever Lane, Coats. Edgar is a student at Triton High School. All suspects were charged with unlawful gang activity, armed to the terror of people, impending trespassing of a school bus and attempted kidnapping. The suspects, each making their first court appearance Thursday and were held in the Harnett County Jail under $200,000 secured bonds. José Gonzalez of Oakdale Mobile Home Park in Coats, one of the student assailants on the bus, faces a lesser charge of assault. Police officials say that students aboard the bus were unharmed during the incident. Story and photos courtesy The Daily Record http://www.1270wmpm.com/
...don't know the answer to that, but there's plenty of home grown gangs in this country already. Awesome cool on the bus driver's part though!
Yes. Cool on the bus drivers part! I read the article and immediately got wrapped up the bad part (reeealy bad about that)... I totally forgot about the bus driver. GREAT job on her part! Thanks GP for pointing her out.
