RIPLEY, W.Va. — New information in the investigation of a firearm on a Jackson County school bus revealed the situation was much more volatile than at first was known.
Sheriff Ross Mellinger said through interviews with the 15 year old suspect they were able to determine he had an intended target for the loaded .22 caliber pistol he had on the bus Wednesday morning. However, Mellinger, on MetroNews Talkline, revealed the shooting could have happened on the bus itself after a minor altercation involving the same teenage boy.
“There was actually an incident on the bus itself. It was a mild altercation, and that’s how the gun was recognized,” Mellinger said.
Two teenage boys are in custody following a stolen gun being located on a Jackson County school bus by the younger teenager. What’s the latest on this story? Ross Mellinger, Jackson County Sheriff, provides the latest information to @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nm85Y pic.twitter.com/6wu84pxKhS
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) April 7, 2022
According to Mellinger, the teen with the gun got into a minor dust up with another student and pulled the gun as part of the altercation. The revelation of the gun prompted another student to alertly snatch the loaded magazine from the firearm and take it to the bus driver. The quick reaction of the student and the bus driver halted the plan which according to Mellinger was just minutes away from unfolding.
“Not only do you have the intended target at the school, but you had a heated exchange on the bus itself where things could have really gone south. You have a lot of kids in a really small and enclosed area, it could have gone south in a hurry,” he said.
It all stopped with the quick thinking of the student who grabbed the magazine. Mellinger said that student deserved a lot of credit for level headed thinking and instinctive action. He couldn’t overemphasize the importance of the student’s actions.
“Heroes are born every day and come in all shapes and sizes. If you look back on the magnitude of what could have been, this student is nothing short of a hero,” he said.
Mellinger said what they know about the plans for the school shooting were largely learned from interviews with the teenage suspect. The sheriff would not reveal any information about the intended target or if they were a student, faculty or a member of the Ripley Middle School staff.
The firearm was stolen from a weekend break-in. Mellenger said it was taken by the suspect’s older brother and he’s now in custody facing charges in the theft. Mellinger said he didn’t believe the homeowner even realized the gun was missing until he got a call about the incident. The Sheriff also could not say if the teen stole the gun for the specific purpose of giving it to his brother to carry out his school shooting plan.
The brothers are in separate juvenile detention facilities and face charges stemming from the incident. Mellinger anticipated more charges would be forthcoming.