Loaded gun found on student at Durham’s Riverside High School
The school resource officer at Riverside High School in Durham found a loaded gun on a student on Thursday.
The weapon was discovered during a search of a student who was reported to have been found vaping in a bathroom, according to a statement from Durham Public Schools.
The weapon was confiscated. The student was remanded to the school resource officer, a Durham sheriff’s deputy who had conducted the search.
“We are grateful for our continued partnership with our law enforcement partners to maintain a safe learning environment for our students and staff,” according to the statement.
The Durham Sheriff’s Office said that a juvenile petition will be served on the student, according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner. The Sheriff’s Office also said there did not appear to have been a threat to the campus or any individual,
in a message to parents, Principal Gloria Woods-Weeks reassured families that everyone was safe “thanks to quick action by law enforcement.”
“I want to let you know that we take this incident very seriously as safety at Riverside High School is our highest priority,” Woods-Weeks said in the message. “Let me remind you as well that there are consequences for having weapons on campus, per district policy.”
In a message to school staff and faculty, Woods-Weeks urged employees to “please continue your vigilance in maintaining a safe and orderly environment for each other and for our students.”
The incident comes after a loaded gun was found Wednesday on a student at Rocky Mount High School. Nash County Public Schools credits the school’s weapons detection system for spotting the gun, ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, reported.
Fears about school violence in North Carolina are especially high now after the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old student at Southeast Raleigh High School on Monday.
This story was originally published November 30, 2023 at 5:38 PM.
