COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 14-year-old was arrested Monday after deputies said the teen had a loaded gun at Westwood High School in Richland School District Two.
Around 9 a.m. on Monday, deputies say an SRO at Westwood High School was notified by school administration that the 14-year-old had a firearm in their book bag.
The SRO was able to determine that contract security guards stopped the suspect before entering the school after the metal detector alerted them of the weapon in the suspect’s bag. Security escorted the suspect to a school administrator, who confirmed the presence of a handgun in the bag.
The SRO secured the gun and confirmed that it was loaded. SROs confirmed that the firearm was not stolen and the teen had gotten the firearm from his own home.
The teen was taken into custody and charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and possession of a weapon under 18 before being transported to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.
In a statement to Westwood parents, Westwood Principal Tameka Nicholson said, in part:
Our safety screenings again proved their worth catching a potentially dangerous item before it made it into our school. This morning, a safety screening and contracted safety staff intercepted a student carrying a loaded firearm.
I know this might sound alarming, but I want to reassure you - this is precisely why we have these measures in place. Our screening process worked exactly as it should, keeping this item out of our halls and classrooms.
We're taking this very seriously and following all necessary protocols. The safety of our students and staff is always my top priority, and today's events only reinforce the importance of our security procedures.
Students should never bring weapons onto school grounds, and they face serious consequences when they do. In accordance with state and federal law, the Richland Two Board Policy states that a student who brings a firearm to school faces expulsion for at least one year.