Fulton County Schools placed a police officer on leave as a review begins into a Thursday confrontation on a Langston Hughes High bus.
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Fulton County Schools opened an investigation and removed a school police officer from active duty after video showed the officer using a Taser on a student who refused to leave a bus near Langston Hughes High School on Thursday afternoon.
The case is drawing unusual scrutiny because it unfolded in a confined bus aisle crowded with teenagers and was recorded from a few feet away. The district acknowledged the use of a Taser and said its review is underway. Families at the South Fulton campus want to know what led up to the encounter, what de-escalation steps were attempted and whether district policy allows a Taser in that setting. The officer’s name has not been released, and officials have not said if the student was injured.
According to video reviewed by local reporters, two school police officers boarded a Langston Hughes route and told a seated student he was on the wrong bus. The student declined to move after repeated requests. An officer asked, “Do you want to get off, or do you want me to take you off?” The officers tried to lift the student, who resisted. In the scramble, one officer climbed over the seat toward the student and a Taser discharge was heard, followed by a cry. Students on nearby benches shrank back and yelled, and the driver called for help, witnesses said.
In a statement, the district said it is “taking the incident seriously,” adding that the officer was removed from active duty pending the outcome of the review. A letter from the principal to families described the situation as isolated and discouraged sharing the clip online, citing the risk of misinformation and student privacy violations. Officials said they would provide updates as allowed by law but declined to discuss the events that led to the Taser, citing the ongoing review and the involvement of a minor.
Fulton County Schools Police operate across campuses and bus routes, assisting with dismissal and discipline issues that sometimes spill onto transportation. Use-of-force policies typically emphasize de-escalation and proportional response, with Tasers considered intermediate force. Context such as location, risk to others and the student’s behavior are weighed in post-incident reviews. Similar school-related Taser cases elsewhere have prompted changes to training and clearer rules for enclosed spaces like buses, where flight paths and bystander safety are limited.
Next steps include collecting statements from the officers, the student, the bus driver and students who recorded the video, along with any footage from bus cameras or body-worn devices. If internal investigators find policy violations, the district could issue discipline or retraining. If criminal concerns arise, an outside law enforcement agency could be asked to review. As of Friday, Dec. 19, no charges were announced and the district had not released additional records. Any proposed updates to school police guidance would likely be discussed at an upcoming board meeting.
Outside the school, parents said they were rattled by the sound of the electrical pop. “Could they have just pulled him off? I want the full context, but I don’t want my son being Tased,” said Damion Dunn, whose child attended Langston Hughes. Students said they saw phones go up as the confrontation escalated, and one senior said the bus was “packed and loud” after final bell. Nearby residents said patrol cars gathered near campus as commuters returned home.
District officials said the officer remains off duty while the review proceeds. The school has not announced additional security changes, and families expect another update after preliminary interviews early next week.
Author note: Last updated December 19, 2025.