News Releases

Middle School Student Charged with Threat of Mass Violence; Pointed Replica Gun In School Auditorium

For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 3, 2018

A 12-year-old male student at Earle B. Wood Middle School has been charged with threat of mass violence and Maryland Education Law Section 26-101: disrupting school activities and threatening others with bodily harm.

Yesterday at approximately 3:51 p.m., an officer responded to the Earle B. Wood Middle School located at 14615 Bauer Drive in Rockville for the report of a student who had brought a replica gun to school that day.

Investigation revealed that there were approximately 120 students participating in extra-curricular activities in the auditorium when at about 3:30 p.m., the 12-year-old male student entered the auditorium and approached a group of girl students.  The 12-year-old male took what appeared to be a real gun from his backpack and began to show the group the gun. The 12-year-old student told the group that the "safety was on" and began to point the gun around the auditorium.  The students in the group started to scream which drew additional attention to the student with the gun.  Students began to panic and run.

Several students approached one of the teachers in the auditorium and told her that the 12-year-old male student had a gun.  The teacher directed the children to go and seek shelter behind the stage.  The teacher located the 12-year-old male student sitting on a mat, holding the gun and with his finger on the trigger.  The teacher directed the student to give her the gun.  The student put the gun back in his bookbag and gave the teacher the bookbag.

A closer inspection of the gun by the teacher revealed that the gun was plastic and had been spray painted black.

The student was arrested by the responding officer and transported to the 4th District station.  He was released to his guardian.

RLI

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Release ID: 18-177
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: uncategorized