Cops: Delco school bus assault under investigation

A VIDEO POSTED to Facebook of an assault on a Delaware County school bus last week has sparked an investigation by Chester police that's landed one teen in custody and has put an apathetic bus driver under the spotlight.

Police are still searching for two other teens in connection with the Oct. 9 assault on a Southeast Delco School District bus, said Chester Police Commissioner Joseph Bail Jr.

The assault took place in Chester on a small bus with just five students from County Alternative High School in Middletown, Bail said.

The video, which was posted to Facebook by one of the attackers, shows two boys, ages 16 and 17, sitting quietly in a seat in front of their assailants.

One of the attackers stands up, walks toward the 17-year-old and punches him square in the face, leaving his nose bloodied.

The alleged assailants are then heard screaming and laughing. "Woooo!" one says. "Damn guys!" says another.

As the victim stands up, the videographer films the splatters of blood that have dripped from the victim's nose to the ground.

The victim approaches the bus driver, who has not flinched nor bothered to turn around.

"Let me off the bus," the boy says.

The driver's words aren't clear, but he refuses the boy's request and the teen returns to his seat dejected.

Bail said the bus driver has been interviewed by police but the investigation into any charges he may face remains ongoing. He said that whether the driver reported the incident to the school or to police remains under investigation. Bail said he first heard of the assault through a secondhand source Saturday night.

"I've got concerns about this whole way it was handled - it may not be illegal but I do have concerns," Bail said. "In some sense, I can understand someone not stepping up to stop it for their own safety, but I don't understand not immediately reporting it when you get back."

Bail said the 16-year-old boy now in custody is expected to face assault and related charges. His alleged coconspirators, ages 15 and 16, could face similar charges if apprehended.

This was the third incident in about a year in Chester in which a group of juveniles filmed themselves carrying out a physical assault and then posted it to social media, Bail said.

"They're not rocket scientists," he said.

Requests for comment to the Southeast Delco School District were not returned yesterday.

Below is the video, which could be disturbing to some viewers:

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