A gun in the backpack of a third-grade student at Lee Hill Elementary School in Spotsylvania County was “unintentionally discharged” during class Monday at approximately 10:50 a.m., school and law enforcement officials said.
No students or staff were injured, and the teacher evacuated 26 students from the classroom. The teacher also notified the school resource officer onsite.
Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office Maj. Liz Scott said in a release that detectives are conducting interviews with the student and their parents. Scott said it does not appear the child brought the gun to school with intent to harm anyone. She said no criminal charges will be filed against the parents Monday but she hopes to provide an update on Tuesday.
“At this point, detectives are in the early stages of the preliminary investigation,” Scott said. “We will make you aware of all pertinent facts concerning the incident as we progress.”
In a phone interview Monday evening, Superintendent Clint Mitchell lauded staff for how they handled the incident.
“Our staff at Lee Hill Elementary did an amazing job, kudos to them,” Mitchell said.
As he labored in his office into the evening following meetings about the incident, Mitchell described Monday as “a tough day.”
He noted that weapon detection systems were put in place at every high school in the county earlier this year, as well as the Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center and the John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Center. The effort was met with pushback from the community when he proposed the systems, but now many people are requesting them to be installed at the county’s middle and elementary schools, he said.
“If I had the money, I’d put them in every school tomorrow,” Mitchell said. “Ultimately, it’s going to depend on funding.”
Spotsylvania County Public Schools released a statement to parents saying that school staff followed safety protocols, including securing the weapon, removing students from the classroom to the cafeteria, placing the school on lockdown and conducting a threat assessment.
“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” the statement from the division read. “We are thoroughly investigating this incident in cooperation with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office and will be taking action in accordance with our student code of conduct and board policies.”
The code of conduct states that bringing a weapon to school requires a “Level 5” administrative response which includes out-of-school suspension for 10 days and a referral to the superintendent’s disciplinary review hearing officer for consideration of additional discipline, including assignment to an alternative education program, long-term suspension or expulsion.
“Whether you’re a third-grader, kindergartner, or 12th-grader, the code of conduct applies to everybody,” Mitchell said.
The statement from the division encouraged anyone who is aware of a potential safety concern to immediately report it to the school division or through the SCPS tip line at www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/page/scpstips. School officials reminded parents to check their child’s backpack each day to ensure they are bringing only items needed for instruction.
“We acknowledge that today’s event is concerning for our students, staff, and families,” the school statement read. “We are working to determine what additional steps we can take to fully ensure the safety and wellbeing of our school community. Additionally, we are providing counseling support for anyone who may need assistance at this time.”
