** NEWS RELEASE **

Santa Fe Police Detective Sergeant Louis Carlos announces that on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, the Crimes Against Children Unit arrested and charged three (3) juvenile males involved in an incident in which a Santa Fe Public Schools bus driver was assaulted with a handgun.

On Friday September 25, 2009, the adult victim was driving children to school when he observed several juveniles fighting near De Vargas Middle School. The bus driver stopped the bus and told the boys to stop fighting. One of the juvenile males produced a handgun and threatened the bus driver. The bus driver immediately drove away and the juvenile suspects fled the scene.

Through his investigation, Detective John Van Etten arrested and charged the three juvenile males. Charges of Conspiracy, Aggravated Assault on a School Official, Tampering with Evidence, Resisting Arrest and Bringing Contraband to a Place of Imprisonment were filed against the three juveniles. All three are currently detained at the Santa Fe County Youth Detention Center.