NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A safety lockdown interrupted the school day at Woodside High School Wednesday morning after the Newport News School District said a student brought a weapon to school.
Authorities later found it in a student's belongings. From there, the school district said police took the high schooler off campus and is facing several charges as well as expulsion.
Just this week alone there’s been a few other threats within schools. Last Thursday, a student at Little Creek Elementary in Norfolkbrought a handgun to school. Over the weekend, a group message from a fifth grader at Richneck Elementary School threatened to shoot a class.
Now, Woodside is investigating its own threat of gun violence.
A mom of a former Woodside High School student who didn’t wish to have her name or face on camera said so much has changed in 15 years since her daughter has been in school. She says hearing reports about gun violence tied to kids has been heartbreaking.
"It’s very personal and it’s affecting everyone no matter how old you are. When Richneck happened, which is very close to here as well, I was saying that’s close to home but now with Woodside, it’s too close for comfort,"
Now, in light of all the recent violence, Newport News Public Schools say they have a goal of putting 74 metal detectors in the schools by March 14.
Dennis Trimble, of Newport News, said it's sad that this is what school safety now requires.
"It seems like, to protect everyone else, the metal detectors are required then I don't know what else you can do. If we're not going to have a stronger political reaction to guns then we have to have a civic reaction to them," says Trimble.
In addition to the new metal detectors, the school district also wants to hire more security guards this week to monitor the systems. Right now, only two schools have them, including Richneck Elementary and Heritage High School.
