Teen student brought gun to high school in Richland County, sheriff’s department says
A student was found with a loaded gun on the campus of a Midlands high school Monday morning, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
The incident happened at Lower Richland High School, the sheriff’s department said in a news release. The Richland District 1 school is in Hopkins, at the intersection of Garners Ferry Road and Lower Richland Boulevard.
A 15-year-old student was arrested after the gun was discovered, according to the release.
The student carried the loaded handgun onto school campus, then secured it in his vehicle when staff was alerted, the sheriff’s department said. Administrators searched the vehicle and found the weapon, according to the release.
The 15-year-old was charged with carrying a firearm on school grounds, unlawful carry, and possession of a pistol under 18, according to the release. The teen was booked into the juvenile wing of Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the sheriff’s department said.
No injuries were reported and no threats were made to any students or staff, the sheriff’s department said.
There was no word if the high school was placed on any kind of lockdown, or if parents were notified about the situation during the incident.
Information about what possible punishment the student could face from the school and Richland 1 was not available.
This is not the first time a gun has recently been discovered at Lower Richland High.
On March 16, a 16-year-old student was found with a stolen, unloaded handgun at Lower Richland High. No injuries were reported in that incident, and that teenager was booked into the juvenile wing of Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to the sheriff’s department.
Information on what happened to that teen was not available.
In May 2021, another student, a 17-year-old male, was found with a gun at Lower Richland High. No one was hurt during that incident, according to the sheriff’s department.
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