Armed U.S. Army trainee hijacks school bus full of children, S.C. sheriff says

[malaise]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/armed-u-s-army-trainee-hijacks-school-bus-full-children-n1266514

An armed U.S. Army trainee hijacked a busload of elementary school students in South Carolina on Thursday before letting the children off, abandoning the vehicle and surrendering, authorities said.

The trainee from Fort Jackson left the base with a rifle about 7 a.m. ET and tried flagging motorists on Interstate 77 before spotting a school bus stop, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says a Fort Jackson trainee has been arrested after hijacking a school bus with a gun in Fort Jackson, S,C., May 6, 2021.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says a Fort Jackson trainee has been arrested after hijacking a school bus with a gun in Fort Jackson, S,C., May 6, 2021.via WISTV
He "told the bus driver that he didn't want to hurt him, but he wanted him to drive him to the next town," according to the sheriff.

The suspect, who was wearing his Army physical training gear, brought all 18 children to the front of the bus, where they "started asking lots of questions to the suspect, if he was going to hurt them or the bus driver," Lott said.

[zaj]

1. That's the cutest mass kidnapping story ever.

They story, as written, just conjures up images of Kindergarten Cop.

[malaise]

2. Those kids were terrified

I disagree - the good news is that he never opened fire

[zaj]

4. That's not how the story communicates the events.

The way it's written, I can picture a mob of little kids innocently asking a million questions about his uniform, his his gun, why he's there.

[obamanut2012]

8. You have to be kidding me

Malaise is right. Does this sound "cute" to you?!

The suspect, who was wearing his Army physical training gear, brought all 18 children to the front of the bus, where they "started asking lots of questions to the suspect, if he was going to hurt them or the bus driver," Lott said.

[malaise]

11. 100% correct

Bangs head

[zaj]

13. "asking lots of questions" is exactly why I have this impression.

From this article, they felt comfortable and empowered enough to ask him directly lots of difficult questions.

This article doesn't convey even the slightest sense of fear or urgency. Not "screaming". Not "sitting silently in terror".

I get the impression that they felt relatively safer than we might expect.

Who knows if that's true or not.

[kcr]

12. I get what you're saying

I don't find it at all cute, but you're right. The way that was written really doesn't convey the gravity of the situation. It was like it was describing a presentation in a classroom.

[Maxheader]

3. duh armys new recruit evaluation board..

sucks raw horse manure .

[Aristus]

5. I wonder sometimes how some people make even to Basic Training

when they should have been weeded out during the recruitment process.

Of course, when a recruiter has absurd quotas to meet, they'll take anyone with a pulse.

I knew one guy in Basic Training who made it through to graduation, but was probably kicked out of the Army on at least a general, and probably a dishonorable, discharge not long after that. He was chronically insubordinate, and rarely obeyed orders. He ended up doing more push-ups than your average personal trainer for punishment of infractions. He was a disaster.

I knew another guy who went AWOL and was never seen again after literally (as if in a movie) knotting his bed sheets together and repelling out the barracks' window, disappearing forever into the night.

And this was the Army, not the legendarily harsh Boot Camp of the Marines...

[Hugh_Lebowski]

6. I suppose that's one way to hitchhike ... when I was young we used our thumbs ...

Times have clearly changed.

[jmowreader]

7. Three drill sergeants and probably a fire guard have a LOT to answer for

How, exactly, did a man in his third week of basic training get away from the company and get a rifle and ammunition?

[csziggy]

9. The article does not say if he had ammunition

He may have had an empty rifle for all it covers, though it is better to assume a weapon is loaded.

[PBC_Democrat]

10. He Would Have Ammo ... Still Hasn't Touched a Bullet at this Point

In week 3 the soldiers are introduced to the M16, they carry it around, they take it apart, clean it, and put it make together again but DON'T fire it.

They also learn the Manual of Arms (how to march with it, salute with it, go to Parade Rest with it) and just become comfortable with it.

For many soldiers it's the first time every touching any type of firearm.

This in NO WAY reduces the severity of the crime and this guy should be wearing prison gray for the rest of his life.

I wouldn't be surprised if the bus driver was former military and noticed that the weapon didn't have a magazine inserted and know the danger was lessened.

Either way the hijacker/kidnapper is a criminal and the bus driver is a hero.