Kenneth Walter Lilly
Kenneth Walter Lilly
Kenneth Walter Lilly walked in front of a school bus his vehicle had collided with on Interstate 35W Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 5, and repeatedly shot at the driver inside, authorities say.

His gunfire grazed the side of the driver's head and struck his left arm. The bus driver was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. His wounds were not considered life-threatening. An 8-year-old child also on the bus was not injured.

That's the account detailed in a criminal complaint filed against Lilly in Hennepin County District Court Thursday.

The 31-year-old St. Paul man was charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder as well as a second count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

Law enforcement authorities responded to a report of a shooting on the interstate at Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis at 2:14 p.m. Tuesday. They arrived to find a school bus and black sedan parked in a lane of traffic, according to the charges.

An investigation revealed that the bus driver was merging onto the interstate when he collided with Lilly's sedan.

Traffic cameras show Lilly, who appeared to be a uniformed security guard, pull his vehicle into a lane of traffic before getting out and making his way toward the bus.


The bus driver told authorities that Lilly seemed to be trying to get on the bus, but the driver yelled that he couldn't let him on as there was a child on board, the complaint said.

Lilly is then seen on video walking over toward the bus's driver side window as the bus appears to try and pull out into traffic, charges say. Traffic was moving slow at the time due to heavy snowfall.

That's when Lilly pulled out a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and started walking toward the front of the bus, according to the criminal complaint.

Then he began firing into the windshield, authorities say.

Afterward, video reportedly shows Lilly walk back toward the driver's side of the bus before calling 911.

Officers recovered five discharged cartridge casings from the scene.

The child on the bus stayed with officers until another bus could bring the child home.

Lilly told officers he shot at the driver because he feared for his safety.

Lilly has no criminal record in Minnesota. No attorney was listed for him in court records.

He remains in custody.

"The actions of Mr. Lilly were outrageous and it was sheer luck that neither the bus driver nor the little girl were killed," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement Thursday. "Minneapolis police are continuing their investigation and if we can add aggravating circumstances for a longer sentence, should we prove him guilty, we will do so."

Lilly's family could not be immediately reached for comment.

He is expected to make his first appearance on the charges in Hennepin County District Court Friday.