Video shows moment shots fired at student getting off school bus in Alton; 2 suspects charged

ALTON, Ill. (First Alert 4) - The Alton Police Department says two suspects are charged after a night school student was shot at while getting off a school bus Wednesday evening.

Daniel G. Coalan, 18, and a 16-year-old suspect are charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. The suspects are not students of the Alton School District.

Police say the incident took place at 6:26 p.m. in the 1200 block of Central Avenue.

Police say an Alton School District bus was dropping off students in the area when a group of individuals began shooting in the direction of a student who was exiting the bus. Neither the school bus nor the student were struck by gunfire.

According to police, it was not a random act, and the shooting suspects targeted the individual.

Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford and Alton School District Superintendent Elaine Kane have been in communication regarding this incident.

“I want to commend the bus driver for their quick thinking and immediate action in ensuring the safety of the other students. The safety of our community—especially our children—is our highest priority. When we arrest the individuals responsible for this brazen, reckless, and dangerous behavior, it is my hope the justice system delivers the maximum sentence possible so that we in this community need not worry about these individuals causing harm and trauma to our children,” said Chief Ford.

Coalan was arrested Friday in Alton. The other suspect was arrested in Wood River on Saturday.

Alton Ward 4 Alderwoman Rosetta Brown says she thought the surveillance cameras Alton Police put up days prior would help the ongoing gun violence.

“I was in a council meeting and I was telling them about the previous shooting and that the camera was here now and everything should be pretty calm. Then, all of a sudden we get this call... Just to find out there was another shooting... at a school bus,” said Alderwoman Brown.

One neighbor’s home was caught in the crossfire, leaving them uneasy and scared that these shooters may come back and this time, injure someone.

“Alton is not going to continue to tolerate this and we need help, we really do because this is going to become fatal. // It all starts at home, we need the family to really take responsible, we need the parents to take responsible, and no we don’t want to just throw them in jail, if they need rehabilitation we need that done but also we need those guns off the street,” said Alderwoman Brown.

The Alton Police Department is asking residents in the area to check their video surveillance systems for any suspicious activity before and after 6:42 p.m. on the day of the incident.

Videos can be ed directly at the following link: https://cityprotect.com/digital-evidence/altonpolice.com?id=2b860108-918a-4443-bbf3-3b255014b47a

Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to the Alton Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 618-463-3505 ext. 634.

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