Student found with gun at West Charlotte High School, police report says
A West Charlotte High School student was found with a gun on campus Friday morning, according to police.
Officers arrived at the school around 7:30 a.m. after a report of a person with a handgun on campus, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police report.
“All students and staff are safe, and learning and teaching are continuing,” West Charlotte principal Donevin Hoskins said in a message to families. “Please speak with your students about the serious consequences of bringing a weapon to school.”
At least 24 total guns have been found on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools campuses this academic year, according to Observer data. The gun found on Friday is the first reported on a CMS campus since classes resumed in January.
The previous highs — 19 guns found or confiscated in the 2016-17 school year and 22 in 2018-19 — are numbers from complete years, based on annual reports from CMS to the N.C. Department of Instruction, the Observer previously reported.
The previous three guns reported on CMS campuses, according to Observer data, also were found at West Charlotte: two pistols on Dec. 9 and an unknown firearm on Dec. 13. There have now been 10 guns found on the campus since the beginning of the school year in August.
CMS officials have said the district will implement more safety measures, including clear backpacks, doubling the amount of random safety screenings and possibly use metal detectors and wands in the near future. The district hasn’t given a definitive timeline for these implementations.
