UPDATE The Mesa County Sheriff's Office with the help of area law enforcement agencies have completed the search of the area. Reeder Mesa Road is back open. The shelter-in-place has been lifted. We will have deputies in the area for when students are dropped off this afternoon as a precaution.
The incident is still under investigation. Investigators are still determining the cause of the damage to the bus.
At this time it is unknown if the bus was intentionally targeted or if this was an accident. No students were on the bus when the damage occurred. The bus driver was not hurt.
If anyone has information about this incident please call (970) 242-6707.
To sign up your cell phones for future community notifications or emergency alerts click here.
----------------------------------
Previous 11/17/2017 9:18 am
WHITEWATER, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in Whitewater involving an empty school bus.
At 6:22 am deputies responded to a report of a school bus being shot at while driving on Reeder Mesa Road near Desert Vista Road. No children where on the bus at the time. The bus driver was not hurt. A single bullet is believed to have broken two windows on the bus.
A community notification was sent out to homes in the area alerting residents to stay inside and shelter-in-place. Deputies are going door-to-door to check on residences and release the shelter-in-place. They are also methodically searching the area.
Reeder Mesa Road is closed at Highway 50 while law enforcement investigates.
At this time it is unknown if the bus was intentionally targeted. The origin of the bullet is still under investigation.
Student Transportation of America contacted all District 51 parents with students who take the bus and advised them on the situation. The bus will be out of service until further notice.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Junction Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, District 51, Colorado Department of Public Safety and Colorado Bureau of Investigation are involved in the investigation.
Previous 11/17/2017 9:18 am
WHITEWATER, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in Whitewater involving an empty school bus.
At 6:22 am deputies responded to a report of a school bus being shot at while driving on Reeder Mesa Road near Desert Vista Road. No children where on the bus at the time. The bus driver was not hurt. A single bullet is believed to have broken two windows on the bus.
A community notification was sent out to homes in the area alerting residents to stay inside and shelter-in-place. Deputies are going door-to-door to check on residences and release the shelter-in-place. They are also methodically searching the area.
Reeder Mesa Road is closed at Highway 50 while law enforcement investigates.
At this time it is unknown if the bus was intentionally targeted. The origin of the bullet is still under investigation.
Student Transportation of America contacted all District 51 parents with students who take the bus and advised them on the situation. The bus will be out of service until further notice.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Junction Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, District 51, Colorado Department of Public Safety and Colorado Bureau of Investigation are involved in the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call law enforcement at (970)-242-6707.
