Delaware State Police have arrested a man accused of pointing a handgun at a school bus carrying students.

Charles McCombs, 62, of Magnolia, was charged with multiple felony offenses following an investigation into the June 9 incident, according to Delaware State Police.

Police said the investigation began at about 8 p.m. when the school resource officer assigned to Polytech High School was notified by school administrators about a cellphone video showing a man pointing a firearm at students on a school bus.

Detectives determined the incident occurred earlier that day while a school bus was traveling through Magnolia, Delaware.

According to investigators, a student aboard the bus sprayed water from a water gun at a man riding a Can-Am Spyder motorcycle traveling alongside the bus. After being sprayed, the motorcyclist became angry, yelled at students and then allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it toward bus as he drove away.

Gun Threat Results in Arrest, Unknown Consequences for Students

Authorities said no injuries were reported, and no shots were fired during the encounter. However, investigators considered the alleged actions serious enough to pursue felony charges.

State police used investigative techniques to identify the suspect as McCombs and obtained an arrest warrant. Details about the methods used to identify him were not released.

McCombs was taken into custody without incident June 11 and transported to Delaware State Police Troop 3 for processing. He was charged with one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and six counts of aggravated menacing, all felony offenses.

Under Delaware law, aggravated menacing involves intentionally placing another person in fear of imminent physical injury through the display of what appears to be a deadly weapon.

Police did not immediately release additional information about the six aggravated menacing charges, including whether each count corresponds to an individual student or another victim involved in the incident. There was also no mention if any discipline was handed out to students involved in the incident.

Following his arrest, McCombs was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2. He was subsequently committed to Sussex Correctional Institution after failing to post a $48,000 secured bond, according to authorities.

No additional details about the investigation were immediately available. It was also unclear whether McCombs has retained legal representation. The case remains under investigation.

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An upstate New York school bus driver has been fired after video allegedly shows him repeatedly slamming on the brakes and yelling at student riders during his route, reported KTTC News.

Sarah and Matt Martineau, whose three children attend schools in the Boquet Valley Central School District, said their daughter first told them in early March that the driver had been “brake-checking” students during a bus ride.

Video obtained by local news reporters from cameras inside and outside the bus appeared to support the children’s account. Speed data from the footage showed the bus slowing by nearly 10 mph during the brake-checking, or sudden braking incidents. Students were seen jolting forward in their seats, while exterior footage showed no vehicles immediately in front of the bus.

The Martineaus said their son later complained of neck pain after an incident. According to the parents, the boy stood up and moved into the aisle to sit near his sister when the driver allegedly brake-checked again.

“I had told her to have him go sit with her to make sure he was OK, and as he got up to go sit with her, the bus driver brake checked the bus again and then started screaming at him,” Sarah told local news reporters

School Bus Video Tells the Tale

The video also appeared to show the driver arguing with a student and suggesting the braking was related to students not following directions. “There’s no need for anyone to drive a vehicle of that size to brake check for any reason,” Matt Martineau said.

Matt Martineau reportedly said he contacted the district superintendent, who acknowledged there had been inappropriate yelling and braking but considered the braking justified.

After weeks without further action, the Martineaus raised their concerns during a school board meeting in late April. Five days later, the school board voted unanimously to fire the driver, identified as Jeremy Ward. District officials did not provide details about the dismissal. School officials declined immediate comments to reporters.

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CONCORD, N.C.— School bus drivers play a critical role in preventing violence and ensuring student safety, and a seasoned law enforcement veteran is on a mission to equip them with the skills to recognize and respond to warning signs of aggression.

Speaking at the STN EXPO East conferece Friday, security expert Bret Brooks of Gray Ram Tactical emphasized the importance of training drivers to identify behavioral and verbal cues that signal potential violence, empowering them to take proactive steps to de-escalate situations and protect lives.

He shared actionable insights to help bus drivers and school staff recognize warning signs of aggression and prevent violent incidents.

“Every single human being has the potential for violence,” said Brooks, a retired Missouri law enforcement officer with 23 years of experience. “Violence is simply a way of handling a situation. If we can understand the biology behind violence, then we can start to recognize it before it happens and take steps to de-escalate.”

Brooks emphasized that violence is a biological process triggered by seven universal factors: Family, order, restraint, resources, mate, insult, and life or limb. He explained that these triggers, which have evolved over thousands of years, are deeply ingrained in human behavior and can be activated in high-stress situations.

He likened violence prevention training to CPR certification, stressing the need for regular refreshers and hands-on practice. Just as CPR training requires participants to practice chest compressions on a mannequin, he explained, violence prevention training should involve real-world scenarios to prepare bus drivers for high-stress situations. Without such practice, he warned, drivers may not be equipped to respond effectively when faced with a crisis.

The importance of training bus drivers to recognize concealed weapons was another key point in Brooks’ presentation. He noted a troubling trend in which active shooters are increasingly arriving at schools via school buses.

“That means kids with guns, knives, or other weapons are boarding buses, and our bus drivers are unknowingly delivering the murderer to the victims,” he said.

Brooks shared a chilling anecdote about a school bus driver who recentlly and successfully identified a student carrying a gun and planning to harm his girlfriend.

“We just saved somebody’s life because the bus driver could see what was going on, took action and prevented the active shooter,” he said. “That’s what gives me the motivation to keep moving forward.”
Throughout his presentation, Brooks outlined key nonverbal and verbal cues that can signal potential violence. He stressed the importance of observing clusters of behaviors rather than relying on a single indicator.

For example, excessive staring or avoiding eye contact, dropping the chin to protect the airway, rapid or deep breathing, flared nostrils, wringing hands, shedding clothing, standing with feet shoulder-width apart, and shifting weight can all signal aggression. Similarly, verbal cues such as strained speech, increased pitch, parroting or echoing words, repetitive word usage, nervous laughter, forced air exhalation, mass statements, indifference in conversation, and escalating profanity can indicate a loss of self-control and a potential for violence.

Proactive De-escalation

Brooks emphasized the critical role of de-escalation in preventing violence. He explained that when someone’s triggers are activated, it is essential to act immediately to prevent the situation from escalating further. He shared a real-life example of a school bus driver who failed to de-escalate a situation with a student for over 15 minutes, leading to a physical altercation.

“The driver never asked the student why she wanted off the bus. What if she had said, ‘Because I’m being molested in the back.’ That would have changed everything,” Brooks said.

An attendee commented that her school district uitlizes crises prevention training and encouraged her peers to do the same.

Meanwhile, Brooks suggested that bus drivers play the “what-if” game to prepare for potential scenarios.

“Don’t wait for the bad thing to happen. Have a plan ahead of time,” the security expert said. “If you see the train wreck coming, you need to act.”

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Brooks also acknowledged that the indicators of violence and de-escalation techniques for special needs students differ from those for the general population

“It’s imperative that we do special needs training,” he said. “Special needs drivers should be consistently trained to understand the unique triggers and indicators for these students.”

In closing, Brooks urged school transportation professionals to take violence prevention seriously and to recognize the importance of their role in ensuring safety. “This happens in every other school district, not just yours,” he said. “We have to be open enough to see things for what they are and act to prevent violence.”

By understanding the biological triggers of violence, recognizing key indicators and employing effective de-escalation techniques, school bus drivers and transportation staff can play a vital role in keeping students, staff and themselves safe.

Article written with the assistance of AI.

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For Clifford Jones, Superintendent of Horry County Schools in Conway, South Carolina, student safety isn’t just a priority; it’s a responsibility that travels approximately six million miles every single year.

With one of the largest geographic school districts in South Carolina, Horry County’s fleet covers urban corridors, coastal routes and rural roads alike. Each morning and afternoon, buses carry thousands of students across the large county. Like districts nationwide, Horry County began seeing a disturbing trend: the growing challenges of resolving onboard incidents without clear evidence.

“AngelTrax cameras on our buses support the district’s student safety goals by improving supervision, discouraging misbehavior, and helping us investigate incidents, all of which advance our commitment to safe, equitable, and accountable transportation,” Jones explained.

Identifying the Need

The responsibility of protecting thousands of students prompted the district leadership to explore camera solutions. Without video evidence, protecting students from interior incidents, from student behavior concerns to accident investigations, required more efficient documentation.

“AngelTrax provides a solution that would allow us to retrieve video from the bus specific to the concern that we were trying to address,” explained Robert Grimes, transportation coordinator for the district. “This video could then be shared with the school to allow administrators to better handle the situation.”

The district also recognized the value of providing drivers with added layers of protection and accountability. Videos would provide objective clarity and documentation should any issues arise.

“Bus drivers seem to be appreciative of the fact that there is video footage that can help with the management of bus behaviors,” Grimes added.

Measurable Impact

After evaluating multiple options, the district selected AngelTrax as its mobile security and surveillance partner, equipping buses with interior cameras to help deter onboard incidents. Since then, Horry County Schools has installed cameras on approximately 450 buses currently in service, covering roughly 1,500 bus routes.

Since installing the cameras in 2017, as one of the first school districts in the country to use AngelTrax’s Vulcan Series cameras, the district has observed meaningful improvements in student behavior on their school buses.

The presence of cameras has increased awareness around school bus safety across the community.

“Based on my understanding, the cameras have enhanced the peace of mind for parents, students, and drivers by increasing accountability, deterring poor behavior, and providing clear evidence when incidents occur,” Jones shared. “We share school bus safety information with students, families, staff, and the community using multiple channels. These channels include sharing information during open house events, as well as through printed and digital/video materials, our website and social media platforms, ensuring that everyone is aware of the expectations, procedures and the process for reporting concerns.”

A Driver’s Perspective

For veteran bus driver Steven Lombardi, the cameras have made a noticeable difference in safety, noting that in the past, he has witnessed everything from students out of their seat, to throwing objects, fighting and other behavioral issues.

“I have never been a driver when there were no cameras on the bus,” Lombardi noted. “However, prior to having the AngelTrax cameras, we had a much less dependable camera which made capturing data more difficult.”

He said he believes the presence of the AngelTrax cameras positively influences student behavior.

“When I tell students that there are cameras on the bus generally, they are less likely to misbehave,” Lombardi added.

For Lombardi, the investment Horry County Schools made in camera technology represents more than a safety upgrade. It reinforces a culture of accountability and care.

“Knowing that there is a camera system to assist with capturing behaviors gives me a sense of relief,” he shared. “I would be hesitant to drive a bus that did not have cameras.”

As Horry County Schools continues to evaluate data and refine its transportation strategies, one goal remains constant: ensuring every student arrives safely, every mile, every day.

About AngelTrax

AngelTrax is a leading designer, manufacturer and provider of in-vehicle mobile surveillance for school buses and school white fleets. Powered by AngelTrax, the Child Safety Program automated stop arm violation system is created to keep kids safer by changing driver behavior, from violation detection to citation through adjudication. AngelTrax drives the market with state-of-the-art products, including Vulcan Series MDVRs and MNVRs, stop arm photo enforcement technology with AI detection, 360-degree camera systems, IP cameras, HD cameras, live view, live tracking and driver behavior with AI. AngelTrax is a CJIS-compliant organization and strategic partner with Nlets for accurate DMV data.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

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Training school district employees to recognize early signs of violent behavior is crucial to safe student transportation, especially when school bus drivers are the first school employees to interact with the children each day. And they are often the first to encounter perpetrated acts of violence.

Bret Brooks will discuss this challenging topic at the STN EXPO East conference in Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina on March 27. Brooks will equip attendees with a practical framework, built not just from his experience as a student transportation safety and security consultant but also his background as a U.S. Army major and retired member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

This general session will discuss behavioral indicators, environmental cues and communication patterns that could signal potential violent behavior from a student. Using case-analysis, real-world scenarios and behavioral research, Brooks will explain how acts of violence can often be identified on school buses before they happen by recognizing verbal and non-verbal indicators.

Understanding Violent Behavior

The session will highlight the importance of discerning behavior patterns from isolated behaviors, such as changes in speech, mood, posture, speech and eye contact, and identify what are escalating behaviors that require review. Brooks also plans to discuss different types of violence onboard the school bus and how exposure to violence is impacting student behavior.

Attendees will not only learn to recognize the signs and increase their situational awareness but take the appropriate steps to address the risk and respond appropriately. This session is beneficial for school bus transportation professionals and school administrators looking to equip their staff to increase situational awareness, be trained in de-escalation, prevention and make informed decisions that enhance safety in educational environments.

Early Bird savings ends Feb. 13. Register for the conference by the deadline to save $100 on main conference registration. Registration will give access to this and dozens of other educational sessions, hands-on trainings and networking events including the Ride and Drive/Technology Demo, Trade Show and Thomas Built Buses tour, all held over the six-day conference. Register at stnexpo.com/east.

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