School bus hijacker shot dead by police

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill., May 29 (UPI) -- A man who hijacked a school bus in South Holland, Ill., and led police on a chase was shot and killed in a gun battle with officers Friday, officials said.

A spokeswoman for First Student Inc., which operates the bus, told The Chicago Tribune the hijacking occurred Friday morning when no children were on the vehicle, adding a bus monitor on board the bus at the time was not harmed.

Spokeswoman Nicol Jones said the hijacker was a bus driver who had been informed he was not being allowed to drive. Jones said the decision regarding the driver, who had previously passed both criminal and other background checks, came as a result of an attitude clash with a manager.

The driver's identity was not reported.

An anonymous law enforcement source told the Tribune that after leading police on a chase that ended in Glenwood, Ill., the hijacker fired on police and was killed in the ensuing gun battle.