No injuries reported after school bus struck by gunfire near J.C. Harmon High School

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A student and a teacher were uninjured Tuesday when a school bus was struck by gunfire in Kansas City, Kansas.

KCK Public Schools posted a statement from J.C. Harmon High School Principal Geoffrey Markos about a drive-by shooting in the area of the school, which is located at 2400 Steele Road.

Markos said police were at the scene and “the district is doing everything to ensure the safety of all the students,” including working with KCK police with respect to the ongoing investigation.

“Our students are our top priority, our students and our staff,” said Edwin Birch, KCK Public Schools executive director of communications and marketing. “It’s always very scary when you have gunfire near campus.”

Shortly after 2 p.m., the teacher and student heard the sound of shots while on the bus.

One neighbor told 41 Action News she heard eight gunshots.

The bus was struck one time on the passenger side of the bus, based on a preliminary investigation, according to Birch.

“Based on preliminary reports, it is believed to be somebody who drove by the school and just fired a weapon, but it’s still under investigation,” Birch said.

Campus and city police responded quickly to the scene, Birch said. It was decided that a lockdown wasn’t necessary.

However, there was an increased police presence during dismissal, which takes place at J.C. Harmon at 2:25 p.m.

All students were released from school on time.