Guns an eighth-grader brought to a Gwinnett County middle school Tuesday were loaded, the district said Wednesday.
Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville was placed on lockdown because of the situation, which began when two students left the campus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
Officials began a search and contacted the students’ parents, principal Christine Douthart said in a statement. After the students returned to campus, school officials became aware that “several” weapons were missing from the home of one of the students, she said.
When the principal asked that student about the missing weapons, he became “confrontational” and left the room, leaving his book bag in the office, Douthart said. Two guns were found in the bag.
According to a Gwinnett schools police incident report released Wednesday, they were loaded. A description of the guns was not provided.
Five Forks was placed on lockdown for about 15 minutes while officials searched for the student, she said. He was quickly found and arrested. The second student also was arrested, Douthart said.
Gwinnett police actually took the students into custody, since the weapons were taken in a burglary, according to the incident report.
They were charged with multiple offenses, including carrying a weapon in a school zone and simple assault. The students’ names were not released because they are minors.
Both students also face disciplinary action from the school, she said.
The principal said having weapons at school is “a serious offense, one that we are taking very seriously.”
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