CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Myers Park High School student is accused of having a weapon on a bus and at school, according to a letter sent to families Wednesday.
School officials said that after dismissal, they received information that a student allegedly had a weapon on a school bus. Once officers searched the student’s home, they found a weapon and ammunition in the student’s backpack.
Authorities said they learned the weapon had been on the bus and at school that day.
Police said the 17-year-old student was charged with felony possession of a weapon on school property. Myers Park officials said school-based consequences will be applied.
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There will be additional security on campus when students return to class Friday, according to school officials.
This incident comes after several other recent incidents of violence at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. At the end of August, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police held a news conference to address “recent school incidents and roles in school safety” within the first few days of the school year.
The district said it’s continuing random security searches throughout CMS to help identify weapons and other items that could cause violence.
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Below is the full letter sent to Myers Park families Wednesday:
“Good evening Myers Park Families,
This is Dr. Furr, interim principal. This afternoon after dismissal, members of our administrative team received information that a student was allegedly on a bus with a weapon. Law enforcement was notified. Police went to the student’s home, conducted a search, found a weapon and ammunition in the student’s backpack and were informed those items had been on the bus and at school. Appropriate charges have been filed and school-based consequences will also be applied.
Enhanced security will be present on our campus as necessary when students return to school on Friday. Random security searches continue throughout CMS to help identify weapons and other items that can cause our students and staff harm.
We encourage you to have conversations with your students about the importance of keeping our buses and schools safe, about the severe consequences of bringing weapons and other illegal items to school and about speaking up when they know of weapons and illegal or otherwise dangerous items. Keeping schools safe remains our highest priority. We thank you for your support as our staff works with students and collaborates with law enforcement to prevent violence from occurring.”
(Watch Below: CMS superintendent on recent violence involving students: ‘It has to stop’)
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