Loaded handgun found at Dozier MS

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A .380 caliber handgun was found in a middle school student’s belongings, according to school officials.

Michelle Price with Newport News Public Schools told WAVY.com the gun was recovered from a sixth grade student between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. at Dozier Middle School Wednesday.

The .380 caliber semi-automatic Taurus was loaded. Initially, officials had said the gun was a .22 caliber.

Other students told an administrator the student showed them the gun in a restroom, Lou Thurston with the Newport News Police Department said. 

School officials went to the child's classroom and called the student out of class. 

Thurston said the gun was found in the student's notebook, still inside the classroom at the time.

Several parents rushed to the middle school after they received a voicemail from the principal informing them about the incident.

"I just started crying," parent LaShanda Walker said. "I told my husband, 'I need to go get my son.' I would rather go get him and nothing happen, then not go get him and a tragedy happen."

Price said the student was arrested and has been recommended for expulsion.

Thurston added the student was charged with possession of a firearm on school property and possession of a weapon under the age of 18.

 

This is the third gun found on school property in Hampton Roads in three days. Some parents say this is a sign something needs to be done to make schools safer.

"I think something needs to be done, like adding metal detectors at the front doors to monitor these things because if a child can bring a gun into the school, that means anybody can come with the same thing," Walker said.

According to Thurston, the student said he brought the gun from home to show other students. He was placed on electronic monitoring and released to his parents. 

"The students that notified the school security officer are to be commended," Thurston said. "Their actions made it possible for school personnel and police to quickly take the appropriate action and remove a dangerous weapon from the school."

No one was threatened or injured in the incident.

Parents were notified of the incident by the following voicemail, Price told WAVY.com: 

Hello. This is Lisa Gatz, principal of Dozier Middle School, calling to inform our families about an incident that occurred today.

Based on a tip we received this morning, we learned that one of our students brought a handgun to school.

The weapon was discovered among the student’s belongings and immediately turned over to the Newport News police department. No students were threatened or harmed.

The student has been placed under arrest and will be recommended for expulsion.

We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously at Dozier, and we thank those that came forward to keep us informed.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact the school office.