Gun found at West Charlotte High School, sixth in two months
A total of 11 guns have been seized across CMS schools since Aug. 25
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Eleven. That’s how many guns have been confiscated from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools this year, which only started two months ago.
The first gun was discovered Aug. 26 – the day after the 2021-2022 school year started – at Mallard Creek High School.
The next day, three handguns were found at West Charlotte High School. A fourth was found at the school the next day.
Most recently, a gun was found Wednesday at West Charlotte High School. Parents received the following call:
This is Principal Hoskins with an important message. A gun was found on our campus, and law enforcement was called to conduct an investigation. Please speak with your students about the seriousness of bringing inappropriate items to school. It is a violation of the law and the CMS Code of Student Conduct to bring any weapon on campus. Thank you for your support of West Charlotte High.
Of the 11 guns found, six have been discovered at West Charlotte. Mallard Creek, Myers Park, Garinger, Charles Parker and West Mecklenburg high schools have had one gun each found on school property.
Last week, WBTV reported a total of 62 weapons had been discovered between the first day of school and Oct. 14. These weapons include guns, knives, pocket knives, a box cutter and 33 weapons listed as “other.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police addressed violence within the school system days after school started, saying it was a, “very busy week for the first three days of school.”
In that time, officers responded to multiple schools not just for guns, but for fights and threats.
“They’re doing their jobs with the gun screenings or with the security safety screenings to find the guns before a calamity can occur but I think that we’ve got to get to dig deeper in the community to get to the problem,” CMS parent Colette Forrest said. “Why do kids feel like they have to bring guns to school?”
Forrest says she isn’t making excuses for students but believes the increase in weapons isn’t about race but other includes factors such as the need for self-protection and socio-economic status.
“It’s on the part of CMS to change student assignment that they are directing to West Charlotte and the lines and how they’re being drawn at West Charlotte. We’re going to continue to have the highest guns in CMS because we have the highest poverty in CMS.”
She says families and community organizations need to get active in the lives of students and show them conflict resolution and anti-violent practices.
One student was found with a gun stolen from Shelby, a knife and marijuana.
CMPD: Fights broken up, weapons seized during first three days of school year
In the meantime, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have implemented random safety screenings. As of Oct. 21, the school system has held 21 screenings.
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