School system addresses unloaded handgun situation at EGMS

Greenbrier County Schools officials confirm that on Wednesday, May 10, an unloaded handgun was discovered in a student’s backpack at Eastern Greenbrier Middle School (EGMS). Upon being notified by a staff member who found the gun, school administration and law enforcement acted swiftly in accordance with policies and procedures. Parents were notified through the school’s alert system that law enforcement responded to and resolved a situation and assured that students were safe and school was operating on a regular schedule.
The student did not bring the gun to school with the intent to attack other students or teachers, and at no time were other students or staff threatened. No ammunition was present in the gun or backpack, and the situation was isolated and contained quickly. However, Greenbrier County Schools policy, as well as state law, considers the possession of a firearm on school premises to be a severe disciplinary infraction, and the situation is being handled accordingly.
“We understand this incident is unsettling for students and parents. We want to assure them that we remain vigilant in keeping our schools safe through many safety and security initiatives, including law enforcement presence at all our schools. As always, we encourage students and parents to say something if they see or hear threats to school security,” states Director of School Safety & Security Vince Deeds.
“Every school in the county has an established safety plan which is reviewed regularly. All safety plans have protocols for lockdown procedures when warranted. This specific situation was so quickly contained that a lockdown was unnecessary to maintain a safe learning environment for students and staff. As always, we will continue to review safety plans and work with local law enforcement to ensure we do everything we can to maintain the safety and security of our schools,” said Superintendent Jeff Bryant.
“I commend the quick action taken by Principal Sue Lee and the law enforcement officers who responded to this situation remarkably,” continued Bryant.
School officials request that parents take appropriate measures to prevent children from accessing guns, discuss the incident with their children, and emphasize that it is against the law to bring weapons of any type to school.