School Bus Assault Leads To Charges For 6 Spotsylvania Teens: Police

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA — An assault on a Spotsylvania County school bus led to charges for six teenagers, the Spotyslvania County Sheriff's Office said. Authorities believe the group assault occurred on Monday after two students started vaping on the bus.

The victim, who police only identified as a "juvenile male," suffered minor injuries.

Five of the six teenagers have not been publicly identified due to a Virginia law that protects the identities of minors. An 18-year-old student, Laylah Watson, was charged with underage possession of vape, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and assault and battery. A 17-year-old girl was charged with underage possession of vape and assault and battery.

A 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts of assault by mob and one count of malicious wounding. Three other boys aged 15 to 17 were charged with two counts of assault by mob.

The incident began after a school bus left Courtland High School on Monday afternoon. Investigators believe the victim had an argument with Watson and the 17-year-old girl after the female students started vaping on the bus. Watson and the girl then assaulted the victim, police said.

The bus driver returned to the school after the fight broke out. When the victim exited the bus after returning to the school, the four teenage boys attacked him, according to the police report. The sheriff's office said staff members and the school resource officer "immediately came to the aid of the victim."

"The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office and the Spotsylvania School Administration are working closely together to come to a resolution to resolve these types of incidents in our school system," the sheriff's office said in a news release. "The Sheriff’s Office has launched an immediate effort to have additional deputies at several schools."