Florida Sheriff Says Dad Who Drew Gun at Bus Stop Was the Victim

A Bus Ride Turned Into a Confrontation

The dispute began Thursday, September 17, on a Martin County school bus headed toward South Fork High School in Indiantown, Sheriff John Budensiek said. A 16-year-old boarded with a pizza. A 14-year-old demanded a piece, threatened him, and hit him in the head when he refused. The older boy went home and told his father. That afternoon, the father went to the bus stop and spoke with the driver, who said she would try to handle it. Friday morning, the father drove his son to the stop. The younger teen was already on the bus, and the father again spoke with the driver. Then the 14-year-old got off to confront the adult. Other students began calling people to the scene, including a 16-year-old who had been suspended. School-bus drama, apparently, now comes with a cast list.

The Sheriff Says the Armed Father Was the Victim

Budensiek said the two teens looked like grown men as they walked toward the father while yelling. He raised a hand and told them to stay back. When they came all the way up to him, he drew a concealed weapon and told them to get back. The sheriff said he was legally allowed to do so and was legally allowed to stand his ground. The teens backed away, and no shot was fired. The father then put the gun away, drove around the corner, flagged down a deputy, and reported the encounter himself. In other words, the man who displayed the weapon also made sure deputies heard about it directly.

Investigators Found No Crime

Detectives interviewed students on the bus and the people involved, and the sheriff said the accounts were consistent. He said investigators would have sought warrants for the 14-year-old and the suspended 16-year-old if the father had wanted to press charges, but the father declined. Budensiek said the father committed no crime and acted within his constitutional rights under Florida law. “To recap it, the individual with the gun was the victim in this case,” the sheriff said. He added that the father wanted to be left alone and wanted his son left alone. Budensiek also said a person may stand his ground whether the person approaching is 16, 24, or 34. The father is a security guard, was wearing a badge, and was legally carrying, according to the sheriff. His son has since been pulled from the school and is being homeschooled.

NAACP Meeting Keeps the Dispute Going

The dispute then moved from the bus stop to an NAACP Martin County branch community meeting Tuesday night, where Trevor Ivory, RJ McIntyre, and their families attended. The report also says some local activists, including people associated with local NAACP branches, have called for the father to be jailed for assault with a deadly weapon. Ivory said firearms should not be displayed at a bus stop with children present. Pam Ivory, Trevor’s aunt, said, “The dad had a thousand options. He chose the wrong option.” Jimmy Smith, the branch president, said guns are not allowed on school property and should not be allowed at school bus stops. He said he plans to meet with the school board and the sheriff. The meeting put the visible weapon at the center of criticism, while the sheriff’s account put the focus on the alleged threats and the father’s legal response.

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