A North Georgia high school teacher who allegedly fired a gun in his classroom has been indicted in connection with the incident.
Randal Davidson has been charged with aggravated assault, possessing a gun while committing a crime, having a weapon in a school safety zone and disrupting school operations, according to the indictment. All but the last charge are felonies.
Davidson, a longtime social studies teacher at Dalton High School and the radio voice of the school’s football and basketball teams, is in the Whitfield County jail as a result of the Feb. 28 incident, online records show. Conditions of his bond required that he be evaluated at a behavioral health facility before returning to jail.
The aggravated assault charge is because Davidson, 53, placed principal Steve Bartoo “in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury,” according to the indictment, which was handed down Thursday.
District Attorney Bert Poston said Davidson’s arraignment should be May 31.
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The incident began when some students tried to get into Davidson’s classroom and he wouldn’t let them in, Dalton police spokesman Bruce Frazier said.
The students told Bartoo, and when he came to the door and used his key to try to open it, Davidson forcibly closed it on him, Frazier said.
The principal then heard a gunshot. The bullet went through a window and outside, Frazier said.
After about 30 to 45 minutes, authorities got Davidson to surrender.
Davidson used a Taurus .38 revolver, according to the indictment. Although guns aren’t allowed at school, Frazier said Davidson brought it into class in his computer case.
Dalton Public Schools will not renew Davidson’s contract for next year, officials said.
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