UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — The Prince George's County school bus driver who survived an attack on her bus on May 1 as an alleged hit squad of teens tried to kill an eighth grader said her mother's instinct prevented her from running off the bus.
Natalie Brower has been hailed as a hero by police for staying in the driver's seat after three teen boys pushed past her and an aide to try and shoot a middle schooler on the bus. The gun misfired, saving the boy's life. Brower took quick action to bring the bus aide back on board and drive to safety when it was over.
Four teens, including 15-year-old alleged gunman Kaden Holland, known as "Baby K," have been charged as adults for the failed armed assault that has badly shaken the county.
"When I saw the handle of that gun, the only thing I could do was call on the name of Jesus," Brower said. "And when I called on the name of Jesus, that gun jammed."
Brower said she was running on instinct,
"My motherly instincts kicked in first," the bus driver said. "I didn't think about my safety. I wanted to protect that child. I guess I was just frozen. The furthest thing that came to my mind was somebody jumping on the bus or attempting to kill someone."
Brower recalled how the gun failed to fire, saving the life of the victim. She said the masked attacker repeatedly pulled the sliding mechanism on the semi-automatic pistol to load bullets, as others dropped to the floor.
"I saw it was live rounds coming out of the clip and nobody can't tell me that Jesus changed that whole situation," she said. "I thought about if that gun didn't jam, I might not be here today."
The still-shaken driver said when the teens fled, she paused long enough to get a bus aide who had jumped off in terror back on the bus, and drove to safety several blocks away to call for help.
"This has changed my whole life," Brower said. "I mean, the way I do things has totally changed ... I've been having insomnia, had to go to the doctor and had anxiety since this occurred," she said as she thanked family members for supporting her.
Martin Diggs -- president of ACE-AFSCME local 2250, which represents bus drivers and other school support workers -- joined Brower to speak Friday afternoon. They both called for more security in schools and aides on every school bus to help stop what he calls an epidemic of fighting and out of control kids.
Brower said she has yet to get back on a school bus, and may call it quits as a driver.