Wednesday at approximately 2:47 p.m., a violent incident unfolded on Bus #27, which was transporting students from St. Croix Central High School to the Strawberry and East End areas. As the bus made its routine stops, three male students — two minors and one adult— launched an attack on the driver, resulting in serious injuries to the back of his head and face. Glass from the bus door shattered during the assault, and video footage of the attack, which has been circulating on social media, paints a disturbing picture.
Along with the assault, the video also shows other students on board frantically trying to intervene, their screams highlighting the chaotic and frightening scene while they pulled at their peers, trying to bring an end to the attack.
According to statements from the Virgin Islands Police Department, the bus driver, bloodied and shaken, was later escorted to the police station by an Education Department School Safety Manager and later transported to the hospital for further care.
Following a quick investigation, VIPD arrested the three students — two minors and an adult — involved. The adult student, identified as Caleave N. Mascall, 18, was taken into custody and, unable to post bail, is being held at the John Bell Adult Correctional Facility. The two minors were arrested, booked and released to their parents pending juvenile court proceedings. VIPD Chief of Police on St. Croix, Sean Santos, commended the quick action of the juvenile unit and school security but expressed disappointment over the violent behavior.
“It is sad that we have to go down this road in arresting our young men in our community,” Santos said in a statement Wednesday. “The horrific actions displayed on that video said it all as to why we had to do what we did. I plead to the parents of the Virgin Islands community to pay attention to your young ones, to ensure that these situations do not occur anymore. The public transportation system is there for their safety, and we have always been a community that respected our elders. We need to bring that back.”
Education strongly condemned the assault in a statement Wednesday, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy for violence. “The students violently assaulted the bus driver, endangering not only the driver’s life but also the safety of other students on the bus,” the department stated. Bus #27 has been suspended from operation pending the outcome of the investigation, and VIDE is working with the contracted bus vendor, Abramson Enterprises Inc., to assess the damage.
VIDE also urged parents to speak with their children about proper behavior when using school transportation, citing a troubling rise in verbal and physical aggression.
“Unfortunately, verbal obscenities and aggressive conduct have become more frequent, and today’s violent assault on the bus driver was completely intolerable,” the statement read. The students involved will face disciplinary actions, including suspension or expulsion, in addition to criminal charges, as this incident is considered a serious infraction under VIDE’s code of conduct.
In response to the incident, Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory expressed deep concern over the rise in violence in schools, citing videos circulating on social media that show disturbing acts of aggression. “Seeing our children behave in this manner is beyond troubling,” she said in a statement Wednesday night. “This type of behavior does not lend to an environment that is safe or conducive to learning. Our children and school personnel must feel and be safe in our schools and at school-related activities.”
Frett-Gregory emphasized the urgency of addressing this growing issue, not just in response to the bus incident, but to the broader trend of school violence.
“We cannot allow this to become our new normal,” she said. “It is crucial that students who engage in violence are held accountable, but we must also be proactive in teaching our children alternative ways to resolve conflict. We need to foster environments where respect is mutual, and violence is not the answer.”
Frett-Gregory also called on parents to play a greater role in their children’s development, encouraging open conversations about behavior and values. “Reducing violence in our schools begins at home,” she stressed. “Parents can teach their children nonviolence by setting an example, demonstrating acceptable behavior, and becoming more involved in their children’s lives — whether through school activities or simply spending time with them.”
