Look Who it Was Random video

Photo and Update: Gun On School Bus

2,905 views · Published 13 September 2012 · 2:29 · Indexed 29 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

by John Madewell  Murray County school officials and law enforcement say students did the right thing when they noticed a gun on their bus. It was stuffed in a teenage student's pants.The potential existed for a tragic ending. The 16-year-old boy had a loaded, sawed-off shotgun in his pants. But students, a bus monitor and deputies all took action. The teenager was on the back of the bus, which only had a few students on board.He's a student at Mountain Creek Academy, an alternative school in Eton.Sheriff Howard Ensley said from all indications, the student had the gun at school. Sheriff Ensley said, "Why is a big question. We don't know why, we don't know if he was showing it or what, we don't know."The sheriff said the boy sawed off the barrel and stock, making it about a foot long. The gun came from the boy's home and deputies are tracking the gun now to determine its owner. They don't believe it's stolen.At the start of the ride home on the bus, only a handful of students were on board. But some of them noticed the 20 gauge shotgun and told the bus monitor. That led to a call to deputies. They were waiting at Bagley Middle School, the next stop to pick up more kids.Sheriff Ensley detailed what happened next, "As the S.R.O., Melissa Thurman, was approaching she said that one of the students said, 'I'll tell you where it is.' And one of the other students says the boy has it in the back of the bus."Deputies got students off the bus, then commanded the boy to raise his hands and not move. He obeyed and the deputies arrested him without incident.The sheriff said, "That's a volatile, very, very dangerous situation. We're just so thankful that no one got hurt. I think everything was handled by the book, everything was to the "t"."The news about the loaded shotgun on the bus traveled quickly. Josh Howell has two daughters in Murray's school system. Howell said, "It just really scares me to death. There ought to be some type of metal detectors. I know we're a small county but if we're going to pay tax dollars, it looks like we ought to be spending something along them lines to protect our children."Murray County Schools issued a statement about this incident. They commended those who responded. Mike Tuck, the Director of Administrative Services, said, "Internally, the matter will be investigated, and the student will be dealt with under our Code of Conduct."Tuck told NewsChannel 9 under Georgia law the student could face up to a one year suspension, although it's not clear what will happen to the student at this point Tuck has not heard of threats being made against any kids or the school in general.The school system's statement says the student is in the Juvenile Detention Center and is scheduled to be in court tomorrow.

More from this channel