The student who allegedly brought a hunting knife and BB gun to Bondurant Middle last week won’t return to the school.
The 14-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, has been suspended for 10 days, Superintendent Harrie Buecker said today. School district officials are awaiting court action to decide his punishment, she said.
“We are looking at expulsion and other alternatives, and we also have The Academy as a back-up,” Buecker said, referencing the district’s alternative school.
“We haven’t determined yet, but he won’t be back at Bondurant. We want to send a message that we are serious about this.”
Bondurant was on lockdown for almost an hour Friday morning after a student saw the weapons on the school bus and told Assistant Principal Keith Embry, Buecker said.
Embry contacted school resource officer Montey Chappell, isolated the student involved and ordered a lockdown.
The student was found with a large hunting knife and a BB gun that resembled a .45-caliber handgun.
Officials told The State Journal they don’t know why the student brought the weapons to school, or what he planned to do with them.
“We only know that the night before, he and two other students who attend The Academy had planned to do something,” Buecker said.
She said the school district is “already addressing” punishment for the two other students who were involved.
Sheriff Pat Melton told The State Journal that the weapons were stolen from Walmart. The student removed the orange plastic cap from the barrel of the BB gun so it looked like a real pistol, he said.
“It’s unclear at this time what his intent was,” Melton said.
Melton said the school was on lockdown from about 10:15 to 11:05 a.m. while school officials searched the student in question. He was taken into custody without incident.
Buecker emailed staff and school board members Monday to commend them for how they handled the situation.
“Although it took some time to find the weapons, the other students were safely locked in their classrooms during the search,” Buecker wrote.
“The student in possession of the weapons was taken into custody without incident – thanks to Officer Chappell. The system ran like clockwork – and kudos to all of you for your swift action in following the procedures we practice during our drills.”
Melton agreed.
“Everything went great,” he said this morning. “I was really, really pleased with the way the school administrators, the teachers and the staff cooperated with the Sheriff’s Office.”
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