Police: Teen arrested after stolen gun found in car outside West Meck High School

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — West Mecklenburg High School went on lockdown early Wednesday morning after a report of someone with a gun nearby.

Teen arrested after stolen gun found in car outside West Meck High School Teen arrested after stolen gun found in car outside West Meck High School

School leaders said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers responded just before school started around 7 a.m. and investigated a suspicious car that was parked in front of the school.

While they were searching the car, they found a gun inside that turned out to be stolen, police said.

Police said they arrested and charged 18-year-old Shyheem DuPont with possession of a stolen firearm. A source said he may have been a former student and that he had come to West Meck High School for breakfast.

Officials said there is no evidence DuPont brought the gun with him into the building.

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SCHOOL STATEMENT:

“Good morning West Meck families. This is Principal Jones calling about an incident that occurred on our campus this morning. We were placed on lockdown this morning due to a suspicious vehicle parked in front of the school. Law enforcement investigated and found a weapon in the car.

All students and staff are safe and no one was threatened. Our students have transitioned to their second block classes and will follow their normal schedule.”

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School leaders said all students and staff are safe and no one was threatened during the incident.

A woman who has a sophomore at West Meck told Channel 9′s veteran crime reporter Mark Becker she is still concerned about school security.

“Probably they have to do more, more than they’re doing right now to keep the school safe,” the parent said. “They shouldn’t let anyone come here like that. I think it’s going to be nice if they have some security outside in the parking lot.”

2 students charged in separate gun-related incidents at same high school 2 students charged in separate gun-related incidents at same high school

Student Nakayla Belk said she got an alert on her phone about the situation.

“It’s like this danger app that you can look at, and it was just basically saying like it was a red Impala or whatever, and there were, like, two men in there and they had been seen with guns,” Belk said.

Her father could only shake his head.

“They ain’t safe nowhere. All they can do is pray and hope God bless them,” Dominic Belk said.

Authorities have not said where the stolen gun came from or why DuPont brought it to the school.

No other information has been released.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for more information.

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