The mother of the 17-year-old boy who was shot as he rode his bike in suburban Maryland on Tuesday said she wants to find the bus driver who helped her son so she can thank her.
Jaivon Cole was recovering in a hospital trauma unit Wednesday after he was shot in the left thigh by one of two men who demanded his bike as he rode along a trail in Waldorf. Wounded, Cole ran off the trail and flagged down an empty school bus. The driver took the teen on board, put pressure on his wound and stayed with him until help arrived, his mother, Margaret Hagens, said.
"I really just want to thank her so much," the mother said about the mystery driver who stopped to help her son. "I just want to hug her and just thank her and welcome her into my family."
Cole was riding his BMX bike from St. Charles High School to a friend's house in Waldorf about 3 p.m. Tuesday when two men approached him on a dirt path. The aggressors demanded the boy's silver and green bike, and then one pulled a gun and shot the teen in the left thigh. The bullet hit an artery.
"It's a nightmare," Jaivon's mother said.
The bullet is still lodged in the teen's leg but he is expected to recover.
"He's really, really doing good. He's doing better than what I really expected," Hagens said.
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The thieves stole Cole's bike and iPhone but left behind his book bag and new sneakers.
"It's just so senseless," the victim's mother said. "We're out here robbing and stealing from each other, for what? What's the point? What stripes are you getting from doing this? It hurts. It just hurts."
Police are still investigating and seeking the two suspects. A cash reward of as much as $1,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to called Det. J. Elliott at 301-932-2222. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call 1-866-411-TIPS.
