North Carolina School Safety News

NORTH CAROLINA

• 6/28/24 - Man injured by his gun after shooting at youth baseball game at Wingate University: Report - CHARLOTTE, N.C. (TND) — Police are investigating after a shooting at a youth baseball game prompted a lockdown at a university in North Carolina.

• 5/17/24 - 18-year-old accused of having high-powered rifle on Iredell Co. school property - STATESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - An 18-year-old was arrested Friday after allegedly having a gun on school property at West Iredell High School.

• 5/12/24 - Man charged after juveniles fire gun, strike elementary school building in Yadkin County - YADKIN COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A man is being charged after several juveniles fired gunshots that struck an elementary school building on Friday night, according to the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office.

• 5/2/24 - Deputies: Union Co. student found with loaded handgun at school - WAXHAW, N.C. (WBTV) - A student was found Thursday morning with a loaded handgun at a Union County high school.

• 5/2/24 - Student with handgun at Union County high school arrested: Sheriff - UNION COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A student who had a gun on the campus of a Union County high school was arrested Thursday, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said.

• 5/2/24 - Student charged for bringing handgun to Marvin Ridge High School, sheriff says - WAXHAW, N.C. — A student at Marvin Ridge High School was caught with a handgun Thursday morning, according to the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

• 4/30/24 - Semi-automatic handgun found in student’s bookbag - DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – A student is facing several charges after Durham County sheriff’s deputies said school administrators found a gun in the juvenile’s bookbag.

• 4/21/24 - Greensboro man charged after breaking into elementary school with long gun, officers investigating motive - GREENSBORO, N.C. — Officers with the Greensboro Police Department said they are continuing to investigate the motive following a break-in at an elementary school.

• 4/19/24 - Student brought gun to Charlotte elementary school, police say - The gun was not loaded, and no one was hurt, police said. The incident is under investigation.

• 4/16/24 - Student dies after accessing gun in Concord school parking lot - Emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures on student, but they were later pounced dead.

• 3/28/24 - Shooting near Charlotte school bus stop - CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Students were the target of a shooting Thursday morning at a south Charlotte school bus stop, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

• 3/20/24 - Person with loaded handgun walks into Pembroke Elementary School behind parent during morning dropoff - As kids were arriving at Pembroke Elementary School Wednesday morning, someone walked into the school with a loaded handgun. The school said the person followed a parent into the building.

• 3/11/24 - Gun found at Rocky River High School, CMS confirms - The gun was immediately taken, and the district said there is no threat to students or staff.

• 3/11/24 - Student caught with gun at a Mint Hill high school - MINT HILL, N.C. — A student at a Mint Hill high school brought a gun to campus on Monday morning, the principal said in a statement to parents.

• 3/1/24 - Gun found on CMS high school campus - CHARLOTTE — A student had a gun on the campus of Rocky River High School in Mint Hill on Friday, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

• 1/26/24 - NC schools adding threat-assessment teams amid concerns about student safety - Every North Carolina public school will soon have a threat assessment team -- a requirement that comes amid growing concerns about student safety. Some experts think they'll save lives. Others worry about workload.

• 1/19/24 - North Carolina teenager brings gun to school, threatens to carry out shooting, Chatham County deputies say -CHATHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A gun was seized from a 14-year-old high schooler after they brought it to school, according to deputies with the Chatham County Sheriff's Office.

• 12/11/23 - Pembroke Middle School student suspended after gun found in backpack, district says - PEMBROKE, N.C. (WMBF) - A Pembroke Middle School student is facing a suspension after administrators found a gun in his backpack at school on Monday, according to the Public Schools of Robeson County.

• 12/7/23 - East Forsyth High School student brought gun to school, officials say - KERNERSVILLE, N.C. —A student at East Forsyth High School was found with a gun in their possession, according to the Kernersville Police Department and officials with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

• 11/28/23 - Easy to conceal, harder to detect: Knives more prevalent than guns in schools - Students are reported for possession of non-firearm weapons about 20 times as often as they are for firearms. But schools are still relatively safe places, and many crime statistics in schools have been improving for years, experts say.

• 11/28/23 - Raleigh stabbing: NC high school student killed, another injured; 14-year-old charged with murder - RALEIGH, N.C. -- School is canceled Tuesday at a North Carolina high school after a deadly stabbing.

• 11/27/23 - 1 dead, 1 injured after teens stabbed at Southeast Raleigh High School, 14-year-old suspect in custody, police say - RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The Raleigh police chief said that one teen student is dead and another is injured following a stabbing after a large fight Monday at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School, which has canceled classes for Tuesday.

• 11/19/23 - Elkin City Schools faces multiple security threats - During the month of September, Elkin City Schools suffered a pair of unfortunate events related to carrying weapons to school and threats about shootings beginning on Sept. 15 and again on Sept. 27. Although district administration managed both situations to provide for the safety and security of both staff and students, incidents such as these cause worry for everyone involved.

• 11/10/23 - CMS student arrested for allegedly bringing drugs, guns to school - HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A North Mecklenburg High School student was arrested for allegedly bringing guns and drugs onto campus.

• 10/20/23 - Weapon discovered on Starmount High School campus, student taken into custody - Yadkin County Schools have confirmed that a weapon was found on campus at Starmount High School Friday morning.

• 10/9/23 - Gun arrests, mass violence threat prompt evacuation at NC high school football game - Authorities stopped play and evacuated the stands at a North Carolina high school football game Friday night after guns were found in the parking lot and a threat of mass violence was made.

• 9/30/23 - Greensboro police investigating fatal shooting at Dudley High School parking lot after football game - GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The Greensboro Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that took place in a parking lot at Dudley High School on Friday night after a football game.

• 9/25/23 - 7-year-old student found with .40 caliber gun on campus; Uncle faces charges, Rocky Mount Police say - ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- An elementary school student brought a gun to class in Nash County on Friday, and now the child's uncle is facing charges.

• 9/13/23 - Woman charged after child brings gun to Raleigh elementary school - RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A woman has been charged after an elementary school student brought a gun to a Raleigh school Tuesday.

• 9/8/23 - Student steals gun from grandmother and brings it to school, police say - High Point police said a 12-year-old student was charged with a juvenile petition after taking gun to school and showing it to other students.

• 9/1/23 - Community reacts after fake bomb threat at Asheboro High School - ASHEBORO, N.C. — Asheboro High School has been cleared after a reported bomb threat on Friday, according to Randolph County Sheriff's Office. 

• 8/29/23 - State report shows an increased trend in students with weapons - GREENSBORO, N.C. — There was a potentially dangerous situation on the first day of school that was avoided because of body scanners at Guilford County Schools.

• 8/28/23 - 2 stolen guns found after Western Guilford High School scanner detects 1, police say; ‘No one was threatened or harmed,’ district says - GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Scanner technology found a weapon at a Piedmont Triad high school on Monday.

• 8/28/23 - UNC-Chapel Hill faculty member killed in shooting that left community locked down for hours - A gunman killed a UNC-Chapel Hill faculty member in a laboratory building in the center of campus Monday, setting off a confusing and anxious three-hour lockdown at the university and nearby K-12 schools.

• 7/21/23 - Bill creating school threat assessment teams bill becomes law - RALEIGH — A bill creating school threat assessment teams was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on July 7.  

• 7/19/23 - All Guilford middle schools set to get weapons scanners this summer - GREENSBORO — A year after introducing weapons scanners in its high schools, Guilford County Schools now plans to add them in all the middle schools as well.

• 7/7/23 - Gov. Cooper approves bill requiring school threat assessment teams - In the wake of a national epidemic of school shootings, Gov. Cooper gave final approval today to House Bill 605 — a measure that will require “threat assessment teams” in public school units. School districts and charter schools will have to implement the program starting in the 2024-2025 school year. 

• 6/28/23 - School “threat assessment teams” required under bill headed to Cooper - North Carolina House lawmakers passed a measure Tuesday by a vote of 115 to 4 that would require public schools to have “threat assessment teams,” safety exercises, and student support programs. Four Democrats voted against the measure.

• 6/26/23 - Suspect in custody after standoff with Garner police, US Marshals - North Garner Middle School was on a code yellow lockdown Monday afternoon after a nearby standoff.

• 6/22/23 - Over 1,000 threats made on NC school campuses this past year - GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - The North Carolina Task Force for Safer Schools met to discuss solutions that would reduce threats and crime, Thursday morning.

• 5/25/23 - 'Scary situation.' Teen with rifle near Northern High School in Durham faces charges: Sheriff - DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Northern High School in Durham went on a secure status lockdown just before 2 p.m. on Wednesday after police and deputies reported they were conducting an investigation for a possibly armed person near the school.

• 5/24/23 - On same day, two adults charged with threats against schools in Durham, Fuquay-Varina - A 27-year-old woman faces criminal charges for making a threat against a Wake County middle School.

• 5/24/23 - Alston Ridge Middle School evacuated due to bomb threat - CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A bomb threat involving Alston Ridge Middle School resulted in an evacuation Wednesday morning.

• 5/8/23 - ‘Ultimate terror:’ Parents alarmed after student brings pistol to middle school - UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A student at Sun Valley Middle School is facing charges after allegedly bringing an unloaded, semi-automatic pistol to school Monday morning, said the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

• 4/25/23 - Teen arrested, charged with bringing gun to Ashley High School - WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Kshaun Ahmad Williams on Tuesday, April 25.

• 4/14/23 - School district investigates video of student attacked in high school classroom - MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The Mooresville Graded School District is investigating after officials said two Mooresville High School students assaulted another student inside a classroom Friday.

• 4/11/23 - Lee County student facing charges for several school threats - LEE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Lee County High School student is accused of making several threats -- including a bomb threat made Tuesday.

• 3/13/23 - One injured in shooting at Atkinson School Gym; suspect at large - ATKINSON, N.C. (WECT) - The Town of Atkinson announced on Sunday, March 12, that a shooting occurred during the late afternoon at the Town of Atkinson School Gym.

• 3/4/23 - State reports increase in weapons in schools after pandemic - Data made public by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction showed that there were nearly 3,300 weapons possessions statewide, not including firearms, in the 2021-22 school year, a 60% increase in over 2018-19. Pitt County Schools, the 13th largest district in the state, reported weapons possessions stood at 45 in 2018-19, the last full school year before the coronavirus pandemic. The number spiked to 87 last year.

• 3/2/23 - Report shows school violence increases across the state - BAYBORO, N.C. (WITN) - The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports significant increases in acts of violence in schools.

• 2/28/23 - Just this month, more than a dozen guns have been found in NC schools. Here’s where. - At least 13 firearms have been found in North Carolina public schools in February, raising the fears of parents, students and school employees.

• 2/27/23 - 13-year-old boy brings loaded handgun to school in Lillington - LILLINGTON, N.C. — STAR Academy of Lillington was on a Code Red lockdown Monday morning after a 13-year-old boy brought a loaded gun to school.

• 2/21/23 - North Carolina school shooting prevented after students "Say Something" to get help - A tragedy was recently averted in North Carolina, when Sandy Hook Promise's National Crisis Center for their Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) received multiple calls and texts about a student's violent plan for a mass school shooting attack.

• 2/21/23 - Officials identify juvenile who made social media threat towards Wake Forest Middle School - A note sent to Wake Forest Middle School families from the principal said the Wake County Public School School System's Office of Security and the sheriff's office determined the threat was a hoax.

• 2/17/23 - At elementary school in Harnett County, middle schools in Cumberland and Orange, students found with weapons Friday - ERWIN, N.C. — Students, staff and parents dealt with another set of school-enforced lockdowns and weapons threats on Friday, and one student, at Luther Nick Jeralds Middle School in Cumberland County, was charged with a crime.

• 2/14/23 - Wendell Middle student found with gun on campus - WENDELL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Wendell Middle School officials said a student was found with a gun on campus Tuesday.

• 2/12/23 - Student charged after unloaded handgun found on school property - MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A juvenile student in Western North Carolina is facing charges after authorities say they found an unloaded handgun in the student's belongings.

• 2/10/23 - Hillside High School principal addresses deadly shooting that killed 1 student, injured another - DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Hillside High School principal addressed the gun violence that impacted the community on Friday in an interview with ABC11.

• 2/9/23 - No weapons found in woods near Hillside High School during search day after deadly shooting - DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The person who shot two Durham high school students Wednesday remains on the run Thursday.

• 2/3/23 - Zebulon Middle School students released early for Code Red lockdown after social media threat - ZEBULON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Zebulon Middle School was placed on Code Red lockdown Friday morning.

• 2/1/23 - Wake County parents frustrated, frightened by threats disrupting school day - A rash of incidents bolstered security at several schools in North Carolina this week.

• 2/1/23 - Officials investigating social media threats against local school districts - GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Law enforcement officials in eastern North Carolina are investigating threatening social media posts directed toward local school districts.

• 2/1/23 - Student found carrying loaded gun at Rolesville High sends school into lockdown - Rolesville High School was placed under a Code Red lockdown on Wednesday after a staff member found a student carrying a loaded gun.

• 1/31/23 - 13-year-old arrested for threats made against multiple schools in Wayne County - The increase in security comes after threats against the schools were communicated on Instagram.

• 1/24/23 - Teen accused of threatening school violence - A Shelby teenager has been charged with a felony communicating a threat of mass violence on an educational property. 

• 1/13/23 - Threat brings extra police presence at Athens Drive High School - Students at Athens Drive Magnet High School noticed extra security on campus Friday following a threat about a school shooting.

• 1/10/23 - Teen in custody after gun found at Farmville Central High School - FARMVILLE, N.C. (WITN) -Farmville police say an 18-year-old Farmville Central High School student is in custody and faces charges after police say the student had a handgun on campus Tuesday.

• 1/5/23 - Gun found on student at Ragsdale High School - JAMESTOWN, N.C. —Guilford County Schools said a security scanner alerted staff about a weapon at Ragsdale High School.

• 1/3/23 - School day resumes at Corinth Holders High School after threat called in - WENDELL, N.C. — Corinth Holders High School in Johnston County was evacuated Tuesday due to a threat officials believe to be not credible.

• 12/30/22 - Sheriff's official: 'Shoot up school' threat not-credible - Allegations earlier this month that an Elizabeth City Middle School student claimed he was going to “shoot up” the school turned out to be a non-credible threat, a Pasquotank sheriff’s official said Friday.

• 12/12/22 - 'He was just looking at me': Teacher shares the moments that led to her disarming Fuquay-Varina Middle School student who fired gun in school - It's a teacher's worst fear: a student shooting a gun, inside a classroom. But for Lynn Guilliams, a language arts teacher at Fuquay-Varina middle, that fear became reality last week.

• 12/11/22 - Man pulled gun out in front of NC middle school band at Christmas parade in Northampton County, police say - JACKSON, N.C. (WNCN) — The Jackson police chief said a man pulled out a shotgun in front of a middle school band as they were lining up for the Jackson Christmas Parade Saturday.

• 12/9/22 - No school Friday for Fuquay-Varina Middle School students due to shooting - FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- School is closed Friday for Fuquay-Varina Middle School after a student fired a gun in a class on Thursday.

• 12/8/22 - School placed on lockdown after student fires gun in Wake County classroom, no injuries reported - FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WBTV) - A Wake County middle school was placed on lockdown on Thursday morning after a juvenile suspect discharged a gun on campus, officials said.

• 12/6/22 - Another hoax suspected after active shooter threat locks down Holly Shelter Middle School - Holly Shelter Middle School was placed on lockdown following a phone threat about an active shooter, according to the New Hanover County Schools district. Law enforcement believes it to be a hoax — but can't yet confirm if it's related to last week's wave of hoaxes that struck schools across the state.

• 12/6/22 - Lockdown lifted at Holly Shelter Middle School after fiinding no evidence of a shooting - WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says it has found no evidence of a shooting and no one has been injured after a phone threat was called in on Tuesday about a possible active shooter near Holly Shelter Middle School.

• 12/2/22 - Hoax school shooting threats target campuses, lead to lockdowns across North Carolina - Hoax threats across North Carolina on Thursday led to schools being locked down and police responding to campuses.

• 11/30/22 - Charges expected after gun brought to Duplin County elementary school - WARSAW, N.C. (WITN) - Deputies say charges are expected after a gun was brought to an Eastern Carolina elementary school on Monday.

• 11/28/22 - Pender Co. student brings gun to school, staff retrieves it without incident - BURGAW, N.C. (WECT) - A student at Pender Innovative Learning Academy brought a gun to school, but it was retrieved by staff without incident.

• 11/17/22 - Teen will be charged after threats made against high school in Moore County - CAMERON, N.C. — Charges are pending Thursday against a teenager after threats of gun violence were made against Union Pines High School.

• 11/17/22 - Woman charged for firing gun in Lee County High School parking lot - SANFORD, N.C. — A Sanford woman was charged after police say she pointed a gun at another woman in a school parking lot and fired the weapon.

• 10/30/22 - Man charged for gunshot fired at high school football game - WALLACE ROSE HILL, N.C. (WITN) - Duplin County Sheriff deputies arrested a man they believe is responsible for a shooting at a high school football game. 

• 10/14/22 - Middle school student arrested after bringing gun to Asheville school, police say - ASHEVILLE, N.C. —