Henderson Middle School parents outraged over school bus ride

A ride home for the Henderson Middle School boys' basketball team came to halt when a man identifying himself as a federal officer yelled at the students for throwing an object out the window, said parents and students.

It went into overtime and they won," said parent George Diaz.

"It brought us down a lot," said seventh-grader Matthew Chacon.

The seventh- and eighth-grade Henderson boys basketball team's victory ride came to halt about 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

The bus was traveling on U.S. 54 near Trowbridge when a man not wearing a uniform, driving a silver unmarked GMC truck flashed a badge at the bus driver, signaling him to pull over.

"He almost swerved the bus and made it wreck," said Diaz.

"Like an inch," said Chacon about how close the truck got to the bus.

The driver of the truck was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, according to school officials and the agency.

"He's like, 'Who threw (expletive) at my car?" Chacon said the officer yelled at the players.

"What happens if he pulls out a gun?" said Chacon.

Fearing for his life and the lives of his teammates, Christian Robledo said he stood up for his team.

"I just stood up and said I did it," he said.

A parent who was following the school bus back to Henderson Middle School got on board and heard the officer using profane language toward the students.

"I was angry. I was scared. I was terrified for the kids to think he could've shot them, shot me because I got him off the bus," said Sylvia Chacon, the parent that boarded the bus. "He goes 'I can do whatever I want, because I have a badge.'"

Having no clear indication that the man a law enforcement officer, Chacon told him she was going to call 911. She said that's when he took off. For parents, it's who didn't come to the rescue that has them outraged.

"The coaches said that we were going to run 30 laps," said Chacon.

Parents met with El Paso Independent School officials Friday, but said they are left with more frustration and with more questions, like what happens to the bus driver.

"You're not supposed to stop, especially on a busy street, especially the freeway," said Diaz.

Diaz said in the meeting they were told the driver won't likely face punishment but will be spoken to. As for the coaches punishing the boys, Diaz said they were told officials will look into that-- meaning some of the boys may have played their last game if the coaches aren't replaced.

"I won't be on the team," said Robledo.

The name of the officer is not being released. He could face charges of disruption of transportation and possibly reckless driving.

"He hasn't been charged yet, he hasn't been held accountable. When is this person going to be arrested?" asked Diaz.

EPISD officials told parents they are working to get the players counseling after many of them spoke up at Friday's meeting saying they are traumatized.

CBP and EPISD are working together in the investigation but have only said that it is ongoing. KFOX 14 has made an open records request for the video off of the bus, but officials could not give a concrete time of when that would be released.