Gunfire near JCPS bus stop sends students running for cover on first day of school

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The energy of the first day back quickly turned to panic Thursday morning — when gunfire rang out near a school bus stop on West Chestnut Street.

The shooting happened around 8:07 a.m. between the 900 and 1100 blocks of West Chestnut Street, near Central High School and Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary. Police said a man fired a gun in the 1000 block of West Chestnut before fleeing on foot. Several 911 callers reported hearing gunshots in the area, but officers did not find any victims at the scene.

"It is both sad and disturbing that this incident happened when children were at nearby bus stops on their first day of school," LMPD Sgt. Matt Sanders said in a news release. "Preliminarily, we do not believe students were the intended target, but several of them heard gunshots."

WDRB spoke with three Academy @ Shawnee students who were waiting for their bus when they heard the shots and scrambled to safety.

"Everybody was laughing and getting ready to go to school until we heard gunshots, and this lady told us to go on the bus," said Tyonnah Philpot, a high school freshman.

The woman wasn’t their driver, but she opened her door and gave the teenagers shelter.

Two of the students were starting their very first day of high school. They told WDRB they’ve experienced similar shootings before — including one incident last school year that sent students into lockdown inside a nearby library.

LMPD said the person who fired the shots "showed a complete disregard for our children's safety."

The department is asking for the community’s help identifying the shooter. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous tip line at 502-574-LMPD (5673).

Officers were stationed at the stop during Thursday’s afternoon dismissal, and police said they will return Friday morning to help reassure families.

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