Local jail officials said the 18-year-old man who police say fired a gun on a Chapel Hill High School bus Thursday was released from jail after his bail was raised.
Aaron Small was taken to Orange County Jail the day of the shooting, and was released later that day on $15,000 bail.
He was taken back into custody after his bail was raised to $30,000 on Friday. Small was released again on Saturday, when an additional $15,000 was posted.
Katja Lake, a freshman at Chapel Hill High School, said she was on the bus when police said a shot from was a .22 caliber revolver blasted into the floor.
It was at about 10:45 a.m., because the bus was arriving at school on a delayed schedule.
“I didn’t think it was a gun. I thought something on the bus just broke,” Lake said.
“Most people were just like, ‘What happened?’ and screamed out of surprise, and the driver didn’t really notice it at first.
“He was like, ‘Keep on moving. Get off the bus.’”
Lake said Small pushed riders out of the aisle and ran away. Police found him and arrested him about an hour later at his friend’s house at 103 Jubilee Drive, about a mile away from the school.
Lake said the high school’s lockdown was initiated as soon as she got into her first class.
The lockdown precautions were extended to nearby Smith Middle School as well as to Seawell and Morris Grove elementary schools.
Gary Beneville, one of the school district’s five resource officers, said he’s had prior minor encounters with Small in the past.
He also said officers have investigated in the past if he had a weapon on campus, but not enough evidence was found.
Beneville said police believe based on witnesses’ statements that Small fired a shot while the gun was in his pocket. They said they do not know whether they think he intended to aim it.
Officers are also investigating Small’s relationships with other boys at the school.
Lt. Kevin Gunter of the Chapel Hill Police Department said more officers were on hand at the school Friday, but no extra safety measures were taken on the buses.
He said the buses do not have guards or metal detectors.
Since Friday, Lake said most things have gone back to normal. She said although many students and teachers were shocked, she never felt in danger.
“There is a lot of chatter,” Beneville said.
“Emotions range from kids that are scared to kids speculating why it happened.”
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CHHS student released from jail
Fired a gun on bus, police say
Aaron Small was briefly back in jail after his bail was increased.
