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Chesterfield school bus driver calls police after woman waves gun outside home

Posted at 10:46 PM, Sep 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-08 23:22:19-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Chesterfield Police were called to the Deerwood neighborhood Thursday by a bus driver who didn't want kids to get off, after she saw a woman come outside a home with a gun.

Police then surrounded bus 645 in a cul-de-sac on Mapleridge Court.

Several Bailey Bridge Middle School students were on board at the time of the incident.

The students’ parents later got a call from the school’s principal.

Chesterfield school bus scene

"She started by saying everyone was fine but there was a situation at the bus stop,” said middle school parent Kimberly Reyes. “She told us there was a woman who came out of the house with a gun and she was apparently trying to scare away dogs in her yard."

Police say after further investigation, they determined it was a BB gun, so the woman was not charged.

"Especially when it involves kids,” said parent Michael Gammell. “You want to see the reaction and response."

Middle school parents say three days into the school year, they’re ready to give police, the bus driver and transportation officials an A+ for their swift response, proving that their kids are top priority.

Chesterfield school bus scene

"Sometimes you can't be too sure out here,” Gammell said. “What if it wasn't a BB gun and she tripped and fell and a shot went off?  Someone could've been hit... Overkill [in a response] isn't always bad."

Reyes said the bus driver definitely made the right call.

"Her job is to protect the children on that bus and I think she did that,” Reyes said. “She didn't know it was a BB gun. I'd rather they err on the side of caution rather than something horrific happening."

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