Utah school bus driver placed on leave after threatening to shoot students, video shows

A Utah school bus driver has been placed on leave after video surfaced of the driver threatening to shoot children when they notified her that she took a wrong turn.

The incident took place Friday and involved a bus from Alpine School District in Lehi about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, the district confirmed to USA TODAY. 

“One more person says 'Where are we going,' I'm going to shoot them," an unidentified female driver is heard saying through the bus intercom in the video, which was sent to local news outlet Fox 13 in Salt Lake City by a parent of a student who was reportedly on the bus.

The driver, who took a wrong turn is heard saying, "OK, now listen. I missed the stop. I'm trying to turn around. Do you understand? OK. Sit down and be quiet."

"We are aware of a situation on a bus [Sept. 9]. The employee is on administrative leave pending an investigation," Alpine School District Executive Director of External Relations & Communications David Stephenson told USA TODAY Monday. "We strongly condemn any threatening action or language directed toward others. We expect all employees to create safe and nurturing environments free of verbal or physical threats"

Stephenson said "appropriate action" will be taken to ensure the matter is addressed and not repeated.

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The district did not release the driver's identity or say if they were on paid or unpaid leave.

In a letter directed to Dry Creek Elementary School's parents, Rex Brimhall, the director of Transportation for Alpine School District, wrote that the school district has taken immediate action to make sure students were safe and a full investigation is underway, KSLNewsRadio reported.

Saratoga Springs Police Lt. Zach Robinson told NBC News on Monday police are investigating the incident and looking into whether she possessed a weapon at the time.

The police department could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY.

Second incident in a matter of days

Just two days earlier, on Sept, 7, another video obtained by Fox 13 taken by a student on a bus in the Tooele County School District, shows another driver yelling at children, who told the driver that she was going on the wrong route.

"I know! OK? Shut up! I'm gonna turn around, OK? Shut up," the driver tells the children on the video.

"It was apparent the students were trying to be helpful, and her response was not acceptable or conducive to our district values," a spokesperson with the Tooele County School District said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The spokesperson said the driver, who has been employed with the district since 2017, was placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.