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LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Three students from Sandusky Middle School were taken into custody after the Lynchburg Police Department responded to a report of a gun on school grounds Monday morning.
A student alerted school administrators about a possible gun just before 10:00 a.m., prompting them to call 911, lock down the middle school, and place Sandusky Elementary School on restricted entry and exit.
The Lynchburg Police Department arrived shortly thereafter.
“The Lynchburg Police Department did respond in force,” said John Hartzell, communications manager for the LPD. “Any time we hear of a gun being on the premises of a school, we take that very seriously, and we are going to show up. There was a large presence here this morning.”
Police located the student who initially had the gun, but discovered that it had been sold.
The student reportedly brought the gun to school with the intention of selling it.
“We are appreciative of the student that came forward to mention what they saw,” Hartzell said. “That, first and foremost, is huge. Once we learned what we did, LPD stepped in quickly, connected with the individual at the center of this, and that individual was 100 percent cooperative.”
Authorities arrested the student who sold the gun, the student who bought it, and another student believed to be involved.
The middle school transitioned from a lockdown to a “hold” status around 11:30 a.m. and dismissed students early at 12:45 p.m. due to the “disruption in learning.”
The school district declined an interview but released a statement acknowledging the distress caused by the incident.
“Additional counseling and support services will be available to Sandusky Middle students and staff tomorrow,” the statement said.
Here is the full letter to parents:
Dear Sandusky Community,
We are writing to provide an update about an incident that occurred today at Sandusky Middle School. At approximately 9:57 a.m., a student notified school administrators about the possible presence of a weapon at school. School administrators immediately called 911, and the school was placed on Lockdown. Out of an abundance of caution, Sandusky Elementary School was placed on Restricted Entry & Exit.
Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) officers responded swiftly and detained three students for questioning.
A handgun was recovered at Sandusky Middle by LPD. Following a preliminary investigation, it is LPD’s understanding that the firearm was brought to the school with the intent to be sold. All parties involved have been cooperative.
LPD is actively investigating the incident to determine the full circumstances and ensure the safety of all students and staff. There is no ongoing threat to the school community at this time.
School administrators transitioned Sandusky Middle out of Lockdown and into a Hold at around 11:30 a.m. so that students could continue normal classroom activities and be escorted to the bathrooms.
Because of the disruption to learning today, the decision was made to dismiss Sandusky Middle students early at 12:45 p.m. Students were able to pick up lunch upon dismissal. Restricted Entry & Exit status was lifted at Sandusky Elementary at around 12:40 p.m. All students and staff were safe during this time.
We understand today caused distress for students and staff, so additional counseling and support services will be available to Sandusky Middle students and staff tomorrow.
This was a quickly evolving situation today, and we want to thank Sandusky parents, guardians, staff, and community members for their patience and flexibility. We also want to thank the LPD for their role in helping keep students safe.
Bringing weapons to school is a violation of School Board Policy JFCD. Please help us maintain a safe school environment by speaking with your children about the potential consequences of engaging in activities that may compromise their safety or that of others. You should also check your student’s backpacks and other bags to help ensure that only school-appropriate items are being brought to school.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority, and we appreciate your understanding during this time.
