CHICAGO | No one was injured Friday when a school bus taking children to a Catholic elementary school in South Chicago was struck by gunfire, police said.
At 7:50 a.m., the bus was in the South Deering neighborhood and had about 25 children on board when the driver stopped at 106th Street and Calhoun Avenue to pick up two more students to be taken to the Our Lady of Guadalupe School at 9050 S. Burley Ave.
Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada said a bullet entered through an open window, went through a seat in the bus, then left the bus through another open window.
None of the children on board the bus were injured by the bullet of unknown caliber, authorities said.
Estrada said the bus driver took the children to the school where he reported the incident involving criminal damage to a bus to the police. The driver told police he did not immediately stop because he initially thought the shot came from a paint gun.
Officials at Our Lady of Guadalupe School declined Friday to comment on the incident, referring all questions to the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Ryan Blackburn, director of school marketing for the Archdiocese’s Office of Catholic Schools, said parents were sent an email message informing them school officials were cooperating with Chicago police.
"Gratefully, none of the students were harmed, and this incident demonstrates why the school’s mission is so critical to its families," the email said. "Teaching our students to learn well and live as disciples of Jesus Christ is what we do, and any action that threatens our children’s safety cannot be tolerated."
No one was in police custody for the incident nor were there any suspects or any evidence of what type of weapon was used in the shooting.
Police were unable to say whether any person on board was a target of the gunman, Estrada said.
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