In the letter issued to the media Thursday, David "Cole" Withrow admitted guilt and said he knowingly took the guns to school.
Click here to read the full apology
Withrow - an honors student - was arrested and charged with a felony for having the gun in his locked truck in the Princeton High School parking lot. Sources originally told ABC11 he forgot it was still in the truck after going skeet shooting over the weekend.
The teen's attorney and the prosecution agreed to him pleading guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge, instead of the felony charge he was facing. He will also have to pay a fine. Withrow said he will not appeal the Johnston County School Board any further.
The school board issued a statement to ABC11 revealing the facts that had not been previously released.
Click here to read the full statement from the chairman
Chairman Larry Strickland reiterated that Withrow did not accidentally bring the guns on to school property and never told administrators about them. He maintains that the school district acted in accordance with the law.
Withrow will finish his high school career at alternative school and will get a diploma. He said he's sorry for all the negative comments that have been directed at school officials since his arrest.
Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. offered the teen a full scholarship to the university. He even offered to let him finish his high school work through their online academy. The university told ABC11 it still stands behind Withrow, saying "We still believe this is more punishment than he deserves."
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