SRO finds unloaded 9mm gun in 6-year-old student's backpack: Rocky Mount Police

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- "This was a preventable situation."

An elementary student in Rocky Mount is accused of having a gun on campus Tuesday.
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According to the Rocky Mount Police Department, the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Fairview Elementary was made aware around 10:47 a.m. that a juvenile may be in possession of a firearm.

A preliminary investigation by the SRO) revealed that a 6-year-old boy had an unloaded 9mm handgun in his backpack, Chief Robert Hassell said.

The backpack was secured by staff on campus and the child was removed from the classroom. There were no threats made with the weapon and it was never displayed by the child.
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The investigation into how the student came to be in possession of the firearm is ongoing.

"The situation that occurred today should be a reminder to all gun owners to secure their weapons in a safe manner so that minors cannot possess them," Chief Hassell said. "This was a preventable situation."

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ABC11 also learned Tuesday, that a student at Hillside in Durham was found in possession of a gun last week. Hillside principal Dr. William Logan sent a message to families on Monday, Feb. 6, notifying them that while resolving a dispute between students, school administration and a school resource officer conducted a lawful search of a student's book bag and found an unloaded weapon.



Wednesday, February 8, two students were shot off campus on the American Tobacco Trail, one of the students died.

WATCH | Hillside High School principal addresses deadly shooting that killed 1 student, injured another



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