CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A 14-year-old boy was charged with gun-related crimes after a Friday morning incident that prompted a lockdown of Meadowbrook High School.
The lockdown has since been lifted, a Chesterfield Schools spokesperson confirmed.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett a student brought a gun to school.
"This morning, a student at Meadowbrook High School called their parent and reported that another student had shown them a gun; when the suspect showed the other student the gun, they were on school property but outside the school building," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson later confirmed. "The parent called school administrators and told them what had happened. The school was placed on lockdown. Officers located the student who was shown the gun and began investigating. Other responding officers saw two people in the area of the campus; one of the two matched the description of the suspect who displayed the gun. Officers detained those individuals, and one of them, a 14-year-old male, was identified as the person who displayed the gun. He was found to be in possession of a handgun. No one was injured. Charges are pending for the 14-year-old male."
"We ask that you do not come to school at this time," the school system alerted parents Friday morning during the lockdown. "Students are not able to leave the building until the situation is resolved. We will keep you informed as we have additional information."
Once the lockdown was lifted, the school shared an update.
“We will continue with our instructional day. The incident that led to the lockdown was resolved off school property, and we will work with police to share more information soon. I appreciate your patience during this time," it read.
The lockdown came hours after the school system sent an email to Meadowbrook families about a non-specific threat that prompted an increased police presence Friday.
"It was reported that at school [Thursday] students were talking about a shooting at our school tomorrow. The information reported was overheard, and no specific threat was reported," the email sent at 9:51 p.m. on Thursday read. "Chesterfield Police are involved. Additionally, out of an abundance of caution there will be an increased police presence at our school tomorrow. We will share additional information as it is available. Thank you for your continued partnership."
Shanda, a Meadowbrook parent, said she did not see that email until Friday morning.
"Well, if I would have gotten an email last night, they wouldn't have been at school today, just because of the previous incidents that's been going on at the school," she told CBS 6. "I didn't get an email until this morning. When I got the email, I got a call from my daughter, first saying that there was a threat. And then I got an email, and I came up to the school to get them because of the, you know, the previous incident that we had here."
Shanda said recent incidents have scared her students and their classmates.
"I hear kids talking about dropping out of school and they only have a year or two left in school. It's ridiculous," she said. "I don't think [the Chesterfield School Board] is working fast enough. I don't think they're taking it as serious as they need to take it. [Meadowbrook] needs metal detectors."
Earlier this week, Chesterfield parents and teachers are calling on the county school board to make schools safer after a Meadowbrook High School student was stabbed inside the school.
Those who spoke questioned why the county did not already have weapons or metal detectors in place like other large school districts across Central Virginia.
Chesterfield County Public Schools, the largest Central Virginia school district serving roughly 64,000 students, does not currently use metal detectors, weapons detection systems, or a clear backpack policy in any of its schools.
The school's safety director said the district has been focusing on finishing installing vestibules at all schools, adding cameras, and hiring additional school security officers.
The district was in the process of evaluating the cost and effectiveness of weapons detectors, a move that began in September when the interim superintendent told the board they were visiting neighboring school districts to evaluate current safety practices.
"Unfortunately, incidents such as these support the need to put any and all safety measures in place," Chesterfield Schools interim superintendent Dr. John Murray said following the October 1 stabbing.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have information to share.
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