Parents Unnerved After Stray Bullet Strikes School Bus In East Harlem
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A gunman accused of firing a bullet that struck a school bus full of children in East Harlem remained on the loose Tuesday afternoon.
As CBS 2's Kathryn Brown reported, police tape marked the spot where the single bullet tore into the bus a day earlier.
The students had just been dismissed from Choir Academy of Harlem on Monday afternoon when police said gunfire erupted on East 127th Street near Madison Avenue.
The building, which houses several schools, was immediately placed on lockdown, CBS 2's Kathryn Brown reported.
"It was around 3:45. We had to lock our doors and turn off our lights," said Pat Jackson, who was teaching a class full of third graders when the shots rang out.
Witnesses said multiple shots were fired.
One of the bullets struck the bus.
None of the 10 children on board the bus was injured.
The children were placed on a different bus and parents were notified, authorities said.
Although police don't believe the bus was the target, parents and students are still shaken up by the close call.
"Well, of course it's scary, because your kids go here so you want to make sure they're safe," parent Letitia Francis said.
Children attending school Monday were also alarmed.
"They made sure everybody was sitting down and quiet," said student Jannae Vick, 11.
"Scary and sad," said student Oria Green, 6.
"It's sad," said parent Bianca Ford. "It's really sad that as a parent, you have to worry that your child is safe where they go to school, and you shouldn't have to."
Police do not believe the bus was the target. Still, parents and students are shaken up at the close call.
The presence of extra police patrols at the scene a day later was only a small comfort.
"I'm going to leave school early to pick her up, and then I'm not going to feel safe," Ford said.
Parents who spoke to CBS 2 said the violence was unnerving, but unfortunately, not surprising. It has happened in the neighborhood before, and they expect it will happen again.
Police believe the person or persons who fired the gun were driving a blue pickup truck.
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