Handgun, knife found in car at Johnston County school after student acts ‘abnormally’
An unloaded gun, a knife and ammunition were seized from the vehicle of a student’s car parked on the campus of Cleveland High School Wednesday afternoon.
Johnston County Sheriff’s deputies and a school resource officer responded to a call about what was described as a “disturbance” in the school’s office. The Sheriff’s Office said it involved 18-year-old Juelle Amos Thomas, who was “acting abnormally,” according to a news release.
Officers searched Thomas’ vehicle and found an unloaded 9mm handgun with ammunition, a fixed blade knife and drug paraphernalia, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Thomas was arrested and charged with having a gun on educational property, which is a felony. He’s also charged with a misdemeanor for having a weapon on educational property and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was jailed with a $11,000 bond.
Authorities did not provide further details. The News & Observer reached out to the Sheriff’s Office with questions surrounding the incident.
Guns, weapons found at local schools
The incident at Cleveland High School is part of a string of recent events across the Triangle of guns found at several schools.
Tuesday, a student brought a gun to Wendell Middle School in eastern Wake County. A woman was charged for improperly storing a firearm.
Last week, Hillside High School in Durham went on secure status for a second day in a row while police searched for a reported gun near campus. The previous day, two students were shot near the school, with one of them dying. The gun wasn’t found.
On Feb. 1, students were sent home early due to a gun being found at Rolesville High School.
Guns have also been fired on Wake County campuses. A Fuquay-Varina Middle School teacher disarmed a 12-year-old student who fired a gun in class on Dec. 8.
On Oct. 12, a student fired a gun in a restroom at Cary High School. There were no injuries, but two juveniles were charged, The N&O previously reported.
T. Keung Hui contributed to this report.
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This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 3:27 PM.
