On Tuesday evening, March 12, at approximately 8 p.m., Columbia County School District alerted parents via email of a firearm found on a charter bus.
Found on the seat of a rented charter bus that Grovetown High School students were utilizing for a field trip to Atlanta, teachers confirmed the weapon belonged to the driver of the vehicle – who is not an employee of the school district.
“A student discovered the unattended firearm on the seat of the bus and alerted a teacher chaperone who immediately secured the weapon,” an emailed notification from the district stated.
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While no threats or injuries were made, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department was contacted and a report was filed.
“Safety of students and staff is a top priority, even when participating in educational events off school campus,” the email also stated. “… please rest assured that we take situations such as these seriously and will investigate fully to ensure a safe, positive learning environment.”
Although it was acknowledged how the incident could raise possible worries for families, the district said they felt it was best to communicate and notify parents in case students raised concerns.
The district stated that the incident will not disrupt school the following day, on March 12, and operations will continue as normal.
