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Mom caught on camera holding rifle at bus stop says she meant no harm

STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — A Stanly County mother caught on camera holding an assault rifle at her son's school bus stop said she meant no harm.

Channel 9's Tina Terry spoke with the woman, who did not want to show her face during the interview.

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She said her 11-year-old son, who attends North Stanly Middle School, texted her saying he was being bullied by a classmate on the bus.

Before the bus arrived, the woman said she saw dangerous animals coming out of the woods near her home, so she grabbed her gun.

"If they were here they would have seen coyotes on my property," she said. "I was scaring coyotes off. When I was coming back up to my house is when the bus pulled up."

When the bus driver called her over to talk about what happened on the bus, she said she still had the rifle in her hand and someone recorded her.

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"I would not hurt nobody else's child because I wouldn't want it done to my child," the mother said.

Stanly County deputies said the woman didn't assault anyone, point the gun or make any threats, so she will not be charged.

"Obviously we're gonna suggest no one take a gun to a bus stop to pick up a child, but as far as criminal we can't find a crime here," Chris Huneycutt with the Stanly County Sheriff's Office said.

Regarding the bullying claim, school officials said they investigated and appropriate action was taken.