Woodstock student to leave county until gun trial

A Woodstock High School student voluntarily agreed Friday to leave Cherokee County until his trial on charges that he brought an unloaded gun to school, disrupting classes and triggering fears of a Columbine-like attack.

A magistrate set bond for Forrest Busby, 17, of Canton at about $36,000 late Friday afternoon.

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Bob Andres/bandres@ajc.com

A Cherokee County sheriff’s car and several other official vehicles surround Woodstock High School after it was placed on lockdown Thursday morning after a weapon was found on campus.

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Forrest Busby

Related links:

• Blog: How well do you know your teen?
• Cell phones help keep parents, students calm
• PDF: Woodstock High letter to parents and students
• Photos from the scene
• Video
• Guns fact sheet

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But Busby’s attorney said she expects the teen will spend the weekend in jail while plans are made to have a monitoring device equipped to his ankle.

Defense attorney B.J. Bernstein said Busby will live with his biological mother in Fulton County, pending trial on three felonies and four misdemeanors, stemming from Thursday’s lockdown at two Cherokee County schools - including his own. Police seized three guns and about 200 rounds of ammunition from his home.

One of those guns was found at the school, and all three are believed to have been stolen by Busby’s 15-year-old co-defendant, who authorities said will be prosecuted in juvenile court.

Authorities have said they have no evidence that the two boys were planning to use the guns for any kind of attack on students or teachers at the schools.

‘We’ve found no plans, no diaries, indicating any kind of imminent threat,” said Maj. Ron Hunton with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, after Busby’s hearing at the county detention center.

But, he added: “You got to face a fact. They took these guns with a lot of ammunition.”

Bernstein told reporters Busby’s family is in total agreement with the school system response and with the conditions of bond, which include an ankle monitor and orders that he not attend school or any school functions. He is not allowed to have contact with anyone involved in the case.

“Both myself and the family think that’s perfectly appropriate in light of everything that’s happened,” she said.

Bernstein would not discuss the students’ possible intent. “Just one step at a time at this point,” Bernstein said. “He has cooperated fully with law enforcement.”

She said she knew Busby from going on a white water rafting trip with him and his mother a couple of years ago.

‘These are nice folks who are supportive and concerned,” she said.

Busby’s parents, who are divorced, sat behind a glass partition as their son stood before Magistrate Joseph Oczkowski, seeming nervous and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and chains on his wrists and ankles.

His mother wiped away tears both before and during the bond hearing.

Busby is charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds, possession of a revolver by a person under 18, carrying a concealed weapon, theft by receiving stolen property, interference with child custody and disruption of public school. He also of with manufacturing/distributing a controlled substance after authorities found six marijuana plants growing in his closet.

The juvenile, whose name is not being released, is charged with being a party to the crime of possessing a weapon on school grounds, party to the crime of possession of a revolver by someone under 18, three counts of theft by taking of a firearm, runaway and disruption of a public school, Baker said. He is being held in the Paulding County Juvenile Detention Center.

By Friday morning, the school was returning to normal, Sebring said.

About 200 students didn’t show up for school, but that’s not unusual for a Friday.

Woodstock High School principal William J. Sebring says his staff responded well to Thursday’s incident.

“At the end of the day, everyone went home to mom and dad,” he said.

Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this report