Reports of shots fired near Cumberland County school
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is investigating after reports of gunfire near a Cumberland County Middle School. Deputies say it started as a fight between teenagers then spilled over into the school parking lot on Tuesday.
Wednesday, Cumberland County detectives were at Westover High and Middle school questioning students and providing extra security. Investigators said an argument among a group of 20 teens escalated from the Bonanza Shopping Center to the middle school parking lot.
An eyewitness told ABC11 she heard about ten gunshots. No one was injured.
According to CCSO, at least one of the students involved had been expelled and reassigned to Ramsey Street Alternative School. Cumberland County Schools referred ABC11 to their policy guide which prohibits trespassing by students who have been reassigned. The Sheriff's Office says everyone involved could face multiple charges for posing a danger to so many people in the area.
"You've got a large crowd. When someone starts discharging a firearm, you end up with bullets flying everywhere and generally, 16 or 17-year-olds are not going to hit what they are shooting at," said Sergeant Sean Swain. "So they're putting a lot of people in danger. Not to mention there's a school and there's cars driving by and a neighborhood across the street."
That gunfire happened within feet of a daycare. The daycare director said she immediately brought her group of kids inside from the playground once she heard the gunshots.
At the Westover Recreation Center next door, their director corralled a group of 30 young kids inside the gym as those gunshots rang out, placing the school on lockdown until authorities came. The city of Fayetteville manages the recreation center. They said their director's quick thinking and safety training helped keep those children safe.
"It shows that the training is working and that the staff was paying attention and that we have well-trained quality staff here," said City Spokesman Nathan Walls.
No arrests have been made. The Sheriff's Office is looking at surveillance video to determine who was involved. They're asking anyone with information to come forward.
