A judge on Wednesday denied the state’s request to detain a school bus aide who allegedly left a firearm on a Chicago Public Schools bus, where a special needs student found it and fired a shot Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred as students were heading home from Minnie Miñoso Academy, 3527 South Wallace Street in Bridgeport.
Three students and a driver were on the bus in front of the school when one of them, a 12-year-old boy, found a firearm inside a bag belonging to 22-year-old bus aide Steven Dixon Jr., according to a Chicago police report. The boy pulled out the gun and fired one shot, breaking a bus window.
The driver was able to safely take the gun away from the boy and secure it. Dixon returned to the bus moments later and asked what happened.
“You brought a gun?” the driver asked, prompting Dixon to snatch the firearm and the bag from the driver and run away. Cops ultimately arrested him in the 10000 block of South Wallace Street.
Prosecutors sought to detain Dixon, who is charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds, three counts of child endangerment, and additional misdemeanors. Judge John Hock denied that request and released Dixon to await trial.
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