LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Santayanna Mitchell’s daughter and grandchildren usually ride the bus to school.
“Since the incident, I’ve been taking them every day,” says the Jefferson County Public Schools parent.
Mitchell rushed to Carter Traditional Elementary Friday when she got a call from her daughter about an incident on her bus.
A statement from the principal says an adult man and a girl boarded a bus and threatened the riders as the bus driver tried to get them off.
The incident on a JCPS bus Friday Aug. 26 led to crying students and angry parents.
“Every child came out of there was hysterical crying. I’m talking about boohoo crying. It was devastating. We just had a whole incident with a school shooting. It was crazy. I just couldn’t believe it,” said Mitchell.
Delvantae King, the man who admits to boarding the bus and threatening to “flip it,” says his actions were wrong.
“This is serious, like from the bottom of my heart, I really do sincerely apologize to them kids and to their families,” said King.
He said his words stemmed from anger.
King says his 9-year-old daughter, a Carter student, has been bullied for months.
“They paint this picture of me that I’m a monster and I’m just chasing out the kids on buses. I just jump on buses for no reason. No,” said King.
King saids he has notified the school about his daughter being bullied multiple times.
He said last week, a group of students attacked his daughter and left knots on her head.
“But nobody knows nothing. Nobody ever sees nothing. Nothing ever gets done. So that’s morally why I went off because they continuing to let the child pick up my child and nobody ever knows nothing,” says King.
Students reported seeing the pair following the bus in a car with a gun.
“I never followed the bus and I’ve never had, like, I don’t need a gun against my children. I don’t play with guns. I don’t do all of that,” said King.
King said he hopes other parents understand his frustration.
“When you’re talking about your kids, I get his thinking I do, but at the end of the day, you have to be rational and you have to think about other people’s kids. You can’t just get on a bus and torment and threaten children,” said Mitchell.
King said he is organizing an event for the bus riders as another way of apologizing and a stop the bullying program.
JCPS security and the Louisville Metro Police Department know about the incident and are investigating.