A 6-year-old Virginia student brought a gun to school on Monday, and authorities are investigating how the child obtained the firearm.
The incident occurred at Orange Elementary School, which is located approximately 29 miles northeast of Charlottesville, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook Monday afternoon.
At 12:50 p.m., a school staff member alerted an Orange County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer regarding a loaded weapon discovered within the school. The sheriff’s office then put the school in safe school mode, according to an online announcement.
According to the sheriff’s office, the pistol was discovered inside a backpack, which was taken by a school resource officer and an administrator.
Later that afternoon, investigators revealed that the 6-year-old student brought the pistol to school, where an instructional assistant discovered it.
There were no injuries or threats, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating, but no arrests have been made thus far.
“The safety and security of our students and school staff remain our top priority,” the sheriff’s office stated. “Out of an abundance of caution, we will have additional law enforcement at the school for the remainder of today and tomorrow.”
Dan Hornick, Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, described the situation as “distressing” in an online statement to the community.”It is important to recognize and appreciate the swift, professional, and thorough steps taken by the staff members and administrators at Orange Elementary School,” Hornick said in an interview. “Their diligence prevented the situation from escalating.”
He also commended the sheriff’s office for collaborating with the school.
Later in his message, Hornick stated that he wanted to highlight how the school system could improve in cases like this. According to the superintendent, the school has entered Safe School Mode, which means classrooms have been secured while law enforcement and school administrators conduct an investigation.
The purpose of Safe School Mode and other school status modifications is to notify parents and guardians as quickly as feasible, according to Hornick.
“Unfortunately, this type of notification was not sent to the OES community today,” he explained, apologizing for the “error.”
Similar incidents have occurred around the country this year, including a September 4 shooting in Georgia in which a student killed four people at Apalachee High School.
Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Hornick has requested that parents and guardians take extra precautions to prevent pupils from bringing guns or other harmful things to school.
He also stated that he has two children who attend Orange County schools and intends to check their luggage more frequently and talk to them about school safety.
“By working together, we can provide the safe and dynamic learning environment our students deserve,” he told me. “Thank you for your continued support, even under difficult circumstances.”