School Bus Hijacker Shot, Killed
No children were on the bus at the time
Enrique Gonzalez
Man hijacks a school bus and later crashes at Glenwood. No students inside bus.
A school bus was hijacked in south suburban Riverdale this morning, leading to a chase that ended with the fatal shooting of the 35-year-old suspect in nearby Glenwood.
A disgruntled driver took the bus in south suburban South Holland and led police on a chase, ramming at least one police car and other vehicles before he was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with officers in Glenwood, according to officials.
The man, who had been driving for the bus company since March, was told by a manager that he couldn't drive today because he had "attitude issues." The manager told police that the man was acting erratically and threatening those around him. After being told to leave, the driver took off in the bus anyway and a police chase ensued.
Speeds reached up to 65 mph during the chase. There were no children on the bus, but a female monitor was onboard. She was not injured.
Employees at the Glenwood Oaks Restaurant said the bus came to a halt when it crashed near a restaurant on Main Street near Glenwood-Chicago Heights Road. The restaurant owner told the Chicago Tribune that he heard the squeal of brakes, a crash and the sound of gunfire.
The gunman was shot and killed at the scene by a South Holland officer.
Three police cars and several civilian cars were rammed by the bus as the police chase moved through morning traffic. Several of those motorists -- including two police officers -- suffered minor injuries.
The incident began at about 8 a.m. and ended about 40 minutes later, a source told WBBM.
Posted Tuesday, Jul 14, 2009 - 3:47 AM CST
