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Community Middle student charged after threats; guns found

By DAVID MELSON - dmelson@t-g.com
Posted 2/11/22

A 13-year-old student at Community Middle School in Unionville was arrested Friday morning after allegedly threatening to shoot students and a teacher, investigators said. Loaded weapons were found in his locker.

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Community Middle student charged after threats; guns found

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UPDATE

A 14-year-old boy was charged with criminal responsibility for conduct of another in connection with alleged threats against Community Middle School and a teacher Friday.

The youth was “part of the planning,” Det. Lt. John Sweeney of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said. Further details are not being released at this time.

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A 13-year-old student at Community Middle School in Unionville was arrested Friday morning after allegedly threatening to shoot students and a teacher, investigators said. Loaded weapons were found in his locker.

“Two or three students told School Resource Officer Cam Ferrell the boy threatened to shoot up the school and a teacher. It was a general threat to the school and to a specific teacher,” Sheriff Austin Swing said.

Ferrell pulled the boy out of class and asked him if he had made the threat, Swing said.

“The boy told him he was just joking,” Swing said. “Cam didn’t have a good feeling about what he said and checked his locker.”

Two loaded 9-millimeter pistols were in the locker, Swing said.

At that point the school went into lockdown as officers conducted a search of the entire campus. The lockdown was cleared by early afternoon.

The student has been charged with two counts of carrying a weapon into a school. He was taken to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office initially, then to juvenile detention, Swing said.

“Right now, it is a law enforcement matter, but zero tolerance will come into play here. The student will be expelled for one calendar year,” Bedford County School Superintendent Dr. Tammy Garrett said.

Swing said he was unaware of the student having ever been in previous trouble. The incident was still under investigation at midday Friday.

Additional officers were to remain at the school Friday. Parents were allowed to pick up students if they desired.

Garrett said she doesn’t know the full extent of the student’s situation. But historically, school incidents like this have been because of mental health issues.

“One other thing that we are doing is we are hiring, to start on the 28th, a mental health professional,” Garrett said. Lindsay Wiley has been working as a team leader in the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. She is a licensed social worker, as well as involved in trauma-informed practices.

Garrett said increases in school threats are a problem across the nation. Bedford County Schools officials will review a briefing of the situation and all involved, while focusing on how it was handled and how they can improve for the future.

“So, we will be using that resource in situations like this, where mental health may play a factor. We expect it to help,” Garrett said.

- T-G staff writer Zoe Haggard contributed to this story