Gun found in student’s bag at North Meck High. Why didn’t body scanners catch it?
A student brought a stolen, loaded gun to school.
Body scanners didn’t catch it — police did.
North Mecklenburg High School confirmed Huntersville Police Department officers found the gun in a backpack after a fight broke out on campus Tuesday.
The School Resource Officers quickly broke up the fight, Maj. Brain Vaughan wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer.
Inside a backpack, police found a stolen 9 mm handgun.
It was never used or displayed during the fight, Vaughan said.
The discovery follows CMS’ recent drop in guns found on campus — a trend opposite to state data.
All Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high schools and middle schools were equipped with body scanners following a spike in guns on campus during the 2021-22 school year. It is unclear how the student passed through the school’s door with a gun, said Susan Vernon-Delvin, CMS’ executive director of communications.
All scanners were functioning on Tuesday, Vernon-Delvin said.
According to CMS’ Code of Conduct, the student will face a range of consequences from long-term suspension to expulsion.
Principal Stephanie Hood asked that parents help by “reinforcing with (their) children that weapons are not permitted in our schools.”
This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 4:52 PM.
