ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WPMI) Police are searching for a man that fired a handgun near a school bus. It happened near Ono Island Wednesday morning. No one was injured and no students were on the bus.
This follows Tuesday's shooting when a 19-year-old fired a pellet gun at a school bus. The latest incident happened on the Perdido Pass Bridge.
"The bus driver called us this morning around 6 a.m. before he started his route," said Assistant Orange Beach Police Chief Greg Duck. "He heard like a pop sound and he looked back and it was a pick up truck on the side of the bus and a white male," said Duck.
Police say after that first gun shot, the bus driver said he saw the driver of the pickup truck wave a gun and fire a second shot. The shots were into the air never aimed directly at the bus.
"A lot of times when there are national incidents, you will see somebody try to pull a prank locally. This is a prank, perhaps it's not but it is serious," said Baldwin County Schools Spokesperson Terry Wilhite.
Tuesday 19-year-old Mendrell Porter was arrested, accused of shooting a pellet gun at a school bus. Twelve Foley Middle School students were on board, no one was hurt.
"We are beyond impressed with the out pouring of support from law enforcements, from the District Attorney's office to the federal agents all the way down to the local police we are all in one accord to keep our students safe. We take in seriously such will not be tolerated as these recent pranks," said Wilhite.
These are unrelated incidents but with recent debate over gun control still raging, there are questions over people's motives.
"I don't see where gun control would stop that that guy who already has a gun. I mean I've got one and I've never shot anybody or shot at anybody," said John White who is visiting Orange Beach.
Without a make or model on the pickup truck, Orange Beach Police say it's possible surveillance cameras from a nearby condo may give them some clues. If you have any information, call police.
