Pittsburgh-area school bus driver suspended for having a gun on school bus, police say
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (KDKA) - A Hopewell Area School District bus driver was suspended indefinitely after reportedly having a gun on-board a school bus Friday morning.
According to Hopewell Township police, the driver admitted to authorities that a revolver was in their possession while transporting students to Lincoln Park and Midland Innovation on Friday. The driver also told police that it fell to the bus floor en route to their destination.
The bus driver quickly picked it up, but the student reported what they had seen. School leadership reported it to police and now police are involved.
The first order of business for the Hopewell Township Police Department was to find the bus driver. And they did, fairly quickly, in between the morning shift they had just completed and the afternoon shift. No gun was found on the driver at the time, but according to the district, the driver did confirm during questioning that he had a revolver on the bus.
KDKA-TV did reach out to the Hopewell Police Department and was told it has nothing to say for now, but likely will release information next week.
A letter was sent to parents by the Hopewell Superindent which says, in part:
"The bus driver faces ongoing legal action, and the district has suspended the driver indefinitely. The district will continue to cooperate with law enforcement officials and provide evidence as needed."
Even if an individual has a permit to carry a gun, according to the Pennsylvania crime code, guns are prohibited from school grounds and activities, unless pre-approved by the school district.
The superintendent did meet with students who were on that bus. Most students said they didn't see the gun-dropping incident. In the meantime, the actual bus involved in the incident has been taken out of service while the investigation is ongoing.
