Student arrested after unloaded gun found in car at Cleveland High School

CLAYTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A student was arrested and charged after an unloaded gun was found at Cleveland High School on Wednesday.

The school sent a message to parents informing them that the gun never went into a building and no threat was made against the school or any students.

"Law enforcement was immediately notified once the weapon was discovered, and it was quickly and appropriately removed from our campus by law enforcement," Johnston County Public Schools said in a letter to parents.

The School Resource Officer was on campus at the time of the call and responded to the school office to find 18-year-old student Juelle Amos Thomas, "acting abnormally."

Based on the student's behavior, a search warrant was obtained to look in his car.

A 9mm handgun along with 9mm ammunition, a fixed blade knife and drug paraphernalia were found. Law enforcement seized those items.

This comes as the Johnston County School District announced a strong commitment to school safety. The district has plans of implementing state-of-the-art security systems for next school year. The walk-through detection software will be installed at each school. The pilot phase will roll out the remainder of this school year and will be in place this fall.

Thomas, of Smithfield, was charged with felony gun on educational property, misdemeanor weapon on educational property and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

The discovery of the gun did not disrupt daily school operations. The school district just wanted to keep parents and students in the know about the situation.

"We ask you to remind your students to speak with an adult if they ever see or hear something they are uncomfortable with while they are on our school campus," the school district's statement read.

Thomas was placed in the Johnston County Jail under an $11,000 secured bond.