Intoxicated passenger boards Boise school bus with gun, knife hidden in backpack

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Parents of Boise students received alerts about an armed individual boarding a school bus Thursday morning.

A male individual who was not a student got onto a school bus near downtown that was headed to North Junior High School and Boise High School, the Boise School District said in a message alert to parents.

Durham Bus Co., the district’s transportation provider, notified administrators at the junior high school and told them the individual appeared “under the influence,” according to the alert, which the Boise School District shared with the Idaho Statesman. The alert said Boise Police Department officers and school administrators met the bus when it arrived at North Junior High School in the North End.

Police took him into custody and found a gun and knife hidden in the backpack he carried. The individual remains in custody, and police are investigating “to assess the individual’s motives,” the district said.

The school did not respond to a question about the individual’s age.

The school district said it will keep parents informed as officials learn more.

“We understand the anxiety and fear that situations like this can create for both students and families,” the school district said in the alert. “Your trust in our schools is crucial, and we are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all students.”

Boise School District spokesperson Dan Hollar declined to provide additional details to the Statesman. Police said the department would soon be releasing more information on the incident.