Loaded handgun, drugs found in Vance High School student's possession

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials said a loaded handgun and drugs were found in a Vance High School student's possession Tuesday morning.

Schools officials said as part of CMS safety protocol, school security searched a student who was not following procedure. During the search, they discovered a loaded handgun and drugs in the student's possession.

School officials sent the below message to families Tuesday morning.

"Good afternoon Vance HS families, This is Principal Rea with an important message. The safety and well-being of all students and staff is top priority at Vance High School. Our team works diligently to ensure a safe learning environment. As part of our safety protocol our security team searched a student who was not following procedure and found a loaded handgun in that student’s possession along with drugs. All students and staff remained safe, no one was threatened or harmed. The student will face disciplinary action in accordance with the CMS code of student conduct. Bringing a weapon onto a school campus is a serious crime, please have a conversation with your children about appropriate items to bring to school. Thank you for your support of Vance High School."

Officials said no one was threatened or harmed.

A Vance High School parent spoke with Channel 9 who said he was disappointed, but grateful the gun was found.

"That could have been a bad situation," Rico Little said. "I'm glad someone was paying attention."

Parents told Channel 9 they want measures in place to keep weapons from getting on campus in the first place.

“The only way you're going to find weapons, you have to have metal detectors, other than that you can just walk in," Little said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney had suggested the district put detectors at all schools.

The idea wasn’t popular with some school leaders, and Superintendent Clayton Wilcox didn’t take action on it.

Instead, CMS invested millions of dollars adding more school psychologists, counselors and social workers. The district also upgraded door locks, camera systems and motion detectors. Every visitor now needs to check in and out with an ID as well.

This is the fifth school in the area this school year to have found loaded guns.

Police have found guns at South Iredell High School, two loaded guns at East Union Middle School, a gun at Northwestern High in Rock Hill, and a loaded pistol at West Charlotte High School.

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