Man charged with criminal mischief for shooting at school bus

AVILLA, Ind. (WANE) - The Noble County Prosecutor filed criminal charges against a man after he was brought in for questioning about shots fired at an East Noble School Corporation's school bus Tuesday afternoon. Middle school and high school students were on the bus at the time but no one was hurt.

Police charged Andrew Martin Thiel, 21, of Avilla, with criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor, for shooting the moving bus with a B.B. gun.

The Avilla Police Department said it happened at the Cranberry Acres subdivision, which is located a little west of downtown, around 3:15.  Officers rushed to the scene and secured the area.  The school corporation also sent a school resource officer to the scene.

At the scene, Avilla Police Chief Glen Wills said his officers noticed two windows had broken like a "spider web."

According to East Noble School Corporation Superintendent Ann Linson, the bus' windows are heavier, and are designed to not shatter instantly.  "The window doesn't shatter on the students," she said.  "It gives the bus driver time to drive to a safe place."

School leaders sent an email to parents to let them know what happened.

"With social media, rumors get out pretty quickly," said Linson.  "Our families want to know what's going on and want them to have the accurate information."

The email also said the school offered a $1,500 reward for anyone who provided information that led to an arrest.

Around 6:15 Tuesday night, officers received a tip about a person involved in the incident. Officers brought in Thiel, who was inside a home in the subdivision where the shooting took place, for questioning.

Linson added the school will send out another email to parents, letting them know police had brought a man in for questioning.

Police continued to investigate the incident on Tuesday night.  Wills said his department will look at providing extra security at least through the end of the week.

"We're considering extra patrols this week," Wills said.  "There's going to be a good police presence at our bus stops in the mornings and afternoons.  Those are the type of things we are looking at to keep things safe."