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Teen held after shooting on Philadelphia school bus

By Allison Steele and Peter Mucha

Inquirer Staff Writers

Police are investigating whether the shooting of a 17-year-old Philadelphia student on a school bus early yesterday was in retaliation for an incident of bullying.

The teens were on a school bus headed to a high school for troubled students when a 15-year-old shot the student in the head. The victim was in critical but stable condition at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Officers arrested Taryale Petter of the 6100 block of Reinhard Street in Southwest Philadelphia nine blocks from the shooting scene, said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore. Petter had a .25-caliber handgun in his possession when he was picked up.

Vanore said Petter was charged as an adult with attempted murder and related offenses.

Police said the shooting stemmed from an earlier confrontation, but would not elaborate. Law enforcement sources said the suspect may have retaliated for an incident of bullying.

The gunfire erupted in the back of the bus about 8 a.m. on Pine Street near 57th Street, in a neighborhood of gabled rowhouses.

The shooter then shoved a gun in the driver's face and jumped off through the front door, fleeing toward 60th Street, officials said.

About a dozen students were on the bus, and half had left and walked to school by the time police arrived, officials said. Police interviewed those who stayed.

"It's obviously a very scary situation," said Fernando Gallard, spokesman for the Philadelphia School District. "I can only imagine what it was like for the children, as well as the driver."

The bus was en route to the CEP Miller School at 43d Street and Westminster Avenue. The school is operated by Community Education Partners, which runs a program for students with behavioral problems under contract with the School District.

Many students leaving the school yesterday afternoon spoke about the shooting. One sophomore, who would not give his name, described the victim as "obnoxious."

"He just talks a lot of trash," the student said. "Makes a lot of threats."

Police were investigating how the alleged shooter acquired the firearm.

"The ease of these kids to get guns is something that troubles us on a daily basis," said Police Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel.

Gallard said that although the school has security precautions to prevent violence, students who ride the buses are not searched.

"The key issue here is that handguns are being made accessible to children," Gallard said. "Without that, we wouldn't have this situation."

The school is one of several in the city run by the for-profit Community Education Partners, which gives students aged 16 to 21 one-on-one coaching, lets them take classes at their own pace, and allows them flexible schedules.

Students are referred to the programs after conduct violations or personal problems. Gallard said the goal was to prepare students to return to their schools or, in the case of older students, to help them graduate.

Contact staff writer Allison Steele at 215-854-2641 or asteele@phillynews.com.

Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this report.

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Comments

Posted 07:17 AM, 11/07/2009

Jean Valjean

"The key issue here is that A GODLESS SOCIETY is being made accessible to children," Gallard said. "Without that, we wouldn't have this situation." The truth is, Gallard, that many children have grown up around accessible guns - I did - and would never dream of using one against a fellow, human being.

Posted 07:50 AM, 11/07/2009

catnapper

Yo dude you reaped what you sowed.Thats why your both in CEP.

Posted 08:16 AM, 11/07/2009

quiddityrox

I wonder if the shooter would have smuggled the gun into school and put even more people into jeopardy....including staffers whom he may not have appreciated. This is a tragedy. I admire those teachers who practice their craft at CEP. Thanks for giving back to our community.

Posted 08:46 AM, 11/07/2009

Neal Obstat

Right, Jean Valjean, if only the poor lad had been "saved by the blood of Jesus!" That's the answer! I think I'll go send some money to Benny Hinn or Peter Popov or Robert Tilton or Mike Murdock or some other religious charlatan who is always preaching about the "risen lord." That's a start towards creating a "godful" (godawful?) society.

Posted 09:36 AM, 11/07/2009

remucho

just a city child settling a childhood dispute...the new culture of Philadelphia

Posted 09:38 AM, 11/07/2009

The Truth Hurts

So Jean Valjean, since Gallard didn't actually say 'Godless Society', you did, then you should take it upon yourself to go down to the school and preach to the masses. No need to preach here.

Posted 10:12 AM, 11/07/2009

pointguard

maybe it's time to admit that the cep experiment has been a failure. lots of money, few acceptable results. now we'll hear that both the shooter and the boy who was shot are both the perpetrator and the victim. we'll hear about the accessibility of guns as the cause, and we'll hear a lot of moaning about how there's nothing that can be done to stop these situations. what we will not hear about is personal responsibility student, parent, and school personnel.

Posted 10:18 AM, 11/07/2009

Taxpaying Voter

Now lets wait and see who gets charged for giving this kid the gun. Here is a chance to make a statement and charge him with all violations of the UFA and give him the max sentence for each violation.

Posted 10:18 AM, 11/07/2009

yawns

"The key issue here is that handguns are being made accessible to children," Gallard said. "Without that, we wouldn't have this situation." NOT the key issue. If there was no gun there would have been a knife, a bat or a brick. The issue is disruptive children who are pushed from school to school.

Posted 10:35 AM, 11/07/2009

Bif

As I always said, these kids are animals and that won't change because their parents are animals too! Thank God for New Jersey!

Posted 11:49 AM, 11/07/2009

2012 ~ Ron Paul

I think....we should fence in Philadelphia; then firebomb it like we did to Dresden during WWII. The world would be a safer place in my opinion. Stupid people with guns is a bad combination and should be dealt with accordingly.