Video shows quick-thinking bystander stop runaway St. Paul school bus

A bystander's split-second decision saved a school bus driver and the kids on board Monday on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota.

It happened outside Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco off North Mendota Street and Fremont Avenue East in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood.

Surveillance camera footage from the store shows Ebro Ahmed sprint toward the bus. He had just seen the driver drop off some kids when the bus kept rolling forward with the doors still opened.

Ahmed saw the driver was having a medical issue, jumped inside and stopped the bus. 

"It caught me by surprise because I was kind of confused about the door open," Ahmed said. "So then I ran towards the bus and noticed he was having an emergency so I just hopped on there."

Ahmed said that at first, he wasn't able to stop the bus. He tried to throw it in park but then it went in reverse. After he was able to put the bus into stop, he looked behind him.

"I see all the kids kind of a little scared, crying, you know, with their phones out, getting ready to call the police," he said.

Ahmed said he was in part inspired by "Grey's Anatomy," because the doctors are calm amid chaotic situations. 

"It's something you would never think would happen in real life," the 27-year-old said.

A spokesperson with St. Paul Public Schools told WCCO Wednesday the driver was transporting students from Battle Creek Middle School, located about 3 miles southeast of the crash site. There were 19 students on the bus at the time.

"Another bus came to pick the students up to continue on their route home," the spokesperson said. "Students were likely late arriving home, and some may have been upset at the situation."

St. Paul Public Schools said Wednesday evening that the driver has been released from the hospital and is resting at home.