Posted on August 2, 2013

3 Teens Charged in Pinellas School Bus Beating

Peter Bernard, WFLA, July 12, 2013

Three students are accused of beating a younger student aboard a Pinellas County school bus.

Officials said the bus driver from Lealman Intermediate School called for help when three students “ganged up” on a 13-year-old student, kicking and punching the victim.

{snip} Police said the suspects used the emergency exit of the bus to escape.

Joshua Reddin, Julian McKnight, and Lloyd Khemradj, all 15 years old, were arrested a short time later.

An investigation revealed one of the suspects had tried to sell drugs to the victim in a school bathroom. The victim notified officials at the school. Later that day, the suspects and victim rode the same school bus home.

Officials said the victim tried to crawl under a seat on the bus as the suspects punched and kicked the victim for roughly a minute, police said.

The victim suffered a fractured arm. {snip}

All three teens are charged with aggravated battery. Reddin is also charged with unarmed robbery. All three have been released from police custody.

{snip}

Lealman Intermediate is a dropout prevention school in St. Petersburg.