A Northeast Middle School student, armed with a handgun, attempted Monday afternoon to hijack a school bus carrying seven other students, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Police said that prior to approaching the driver, the student handed a second gun to another student and requested that student’s help.

A suspect later was arrested and charged with multiple counts. Police did not release the student’s name because he is a juvenile.

Here is a CMPD account of what happened:

On Monday, at approximately 4:58 p.m., police received a call regarding a school bus driver who had received two guns from students on his bus. Officers responded to the 7600 block of Reedy Creek Road, where the bus driver had stopped.

Officers learned that a student approached the bus driver at the student’s bus stop displaying a handgun and demanded that the driver take him to another destination. The driver talked the suspect into giving him the gun.

After the student had gotten off the bus, a second student approached the driver and said the suspect had given him a handgun and had asked him to assist in the hijacking. The second student, who police said was afraid, accepted the weapon but did not assist.

CMPD later arrested the suspect. He was charged with eight counts of kidnapping and two counts of possession of a weapon on school property. The suspect was taken to the regional juvenile detention center.

In addition to the suspect, the bus was carrying the driver and seven other students at the time of the incident.
 

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