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Parents concerned over metro Atlanta school bus shootings

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 10, 2022 6:49am EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Parents concerned after two shootings involving metro Atlanta school buses

Parents in metro Atlanta say they are on high alert after two violent incidents in Gwinnett County and Atlanta involving children waiting for or riding on their school bus.

ATLANTA - Many metro Atlanta parents and students are on high alert after shootings involving two area school buses happened on the same day.

Parents told FOX 5 they are concerned watching the two violent incidents involving children play out in Gwinnett County and Atlanta Monday morning.

In Gwinnett County, a report came to police at around 7:15 a.m. Monday on Highland Gate Drive - less than a mile from Riverside Elementary School.

Police say Celeste Saunders fired several gunshots at a school bus filled with children.

Celeste Michele Saunders (Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)

The parents of one child onboard that bus shared a picture with FOX 5 that showed at least two bullet holes in the front windshield near the driver's seat.

No children were injured, but police say the bus driver had minor injuries from the broken glass.

"It does a little bit make you think twice about letting them ride the bus," one parent told FOX 5.

Saunders is now charged with four counts of first-degree cruelty to children, five counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies, and unauthorized discharge of a firearm near a public street.

Around the same time Gwinnett police were investigating that incident, investigators in Atlanta were on the scene where an officer shot a gunman who was firing a gun in the direction of a group of children waiting for their bus.

Man shoots at students waiting at Atlanta bus stop

Atlanta police said they are not sure why a man was shooting at students waiting at their bus stop in northwest Atlanta. Officers were forced to shoot the man.

Officials say they were called out because the suspect was involved in a domestic incident on Skipper Place in northwest Atlanta.

"He had a gun. He opened fire twice toward the children," witness Jalissa Rattley said.

The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Raphael Trammell, was shot at least once by officers and was the only one injured in the incident. He is now in stable condition.

"As a parent, you always worry when your kids aren't with you so yeah, just hearing those stories really makes you want to be cautious," one parent said.

It is not known what charges Trammell will face.