On Monday, Washington police shared details about how a man boarded a bus full of elementary school children and fatally stabbed the driver.
According to the Tri-City Herald, Pasco Detective Julie Lee wrote in court documents that Joshua Davis, 34, forced entry into a school bus leaving Longfellow Elementary School on Friday after knocking on its front door.
Davis allegedly then stabbed driver Richard Lenhart, 72, in the front of the bus — which had 35 children aboard.
Bus surveillance cameras captured the fatal attack. Davis reportedly stayed at the scene but refused to talk to responding police officers.
According to Pasco police, Lenhart had spotted Davis at the bus entrance after the students boarded the bus. Lenhart initially opened the bus to an empty-handed Davis, who asked if the bus was going to Road 100.
Police asserted that Lenhart’s decision to open the doors for Davis was not risky considering the street they were on was busy and has several people around in the afternoon, according to KNDO.
“The suspect did not need transportation to Road 100. Davis had driven to the scene in a private vehicle, had parked nearby, and approached the area of the school on foot,” police wrote.
After Lenhart told Davis the bus was not going to Road 100, Davis reportedly appeared to turn around to walk away — but he then turned back around, brandished a knife, and repeatedly stabbed Lenhart, who was buckled in his seat.
The attack caused Lenhart’s foot to come off the brake, resulting in the bus moving forward until it drove onto a sidewalk and stopped in some bushes and trees.
Pasco police Chief Ken Roske said no children were injured in Friday’s attack. He also debunked rumors about Davis being homeless, according to KEPR.
Roske said a knife was recovered from the scene, but a motive remains unclear. There is reportedly no indication that Lenhart and Davis knew each other before the deadly attack.
Davis was charged with first-degree murder. He remains jailed on a $1 million bail.
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[Featured image: Joshua Davis/Franklin County Superior Court; Richard Lenhart/KEPR]
