A teenager was arrested after carrying a stolen AR-15 on the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University, GBI officials said Thursday.

Khamani Clayton, 19, was charged with theft by receiving stolen property and carrying weapons within a school safety zone. Clayton is not a student at the school, located in Americus, the GBI said.

Authorities issued a shelter in place on the campus, which has about 3,700 students, around midday Wednesday after police received a report of someone carrying a rifle near dormitories. Clayton was later seen leaving campus with the firearm, which prompted reports of an active shooter. The shelter in place order was lifted about two hours later after authorities cleared the campus to ensure there was not a threat to students. Local law enforcement took Clayton into custody without incident. No shots were fired, and no students were harmed.

Clayton was booked into the Sumter County Law Enforcement Center.

The GBI said the weapon was taken from a location in Clayton County and are working on determining where it was stolen.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A Savannah-area judge ruled a controversial gun storage law unconstitutional Wednesday, saying it violated the Second and 14th amendments. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez