Friday, February 6, 2004
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Friday, February 6, 2004 |
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Starr’s Mill HS locked down after guns found in car; 3 arrested By JOHN MUNFORD An unfamiliar face spotted by two Starr’s Mill High School administrators led to a brief school security lockdown after two guns were found in an illegally parked vehicle on the bus loop, officials said. Although three people were arrested, there was no malicious intent to conduct an attack on the school, said Sgt. Belinda McCastle of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. “There was no intent to do any harm,” McCastle said. One of the suspects, Michelle Lee, was a Starr’s Mill student who was on campus to withdraw from school, McCastle said. The other two escorted her to campus, giving her a ride, she added. Jason Garrison Jr., 19, of Palmetto was charged with disrupting a public school, possession of a weapon on school property and criminal trespassing. Lamorus Ellis, 21, of Palmetto was charged with disrupting a public school and criminal trespassing. Lee, 17, of Peachtree City was charged with disrupting a public school. One of the guns found in the vehicle driven by Garrison was a loaded Beretta .25-cal handgun; the other was a BB gun, McCastle said. The weapons, along with two knives and two box cutters were found when administrators searched the vehicle, sparking the security lockdown that lasted roughly 10 minutes, Dreisbach said. When the school is “locked down,” all classroom doors and outside doors are locked to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the campus, Dreisbach said. During the lockdown, employees swept the school to make sure there were no other surprise guests, Dreisbach added. Once all was clear, the lockdown order was lifted, she said. Assistant Principals Mike Davis and John Bouchell originally questioned one of the male suspects after spotting him in the rotunda area during lunch time, said schools spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach. At the time, the suspect didn’t give them sufficient answers as to who he was, why he was on campus, why he hadn’t checked into the office and other details, arousing suspicion, Dreisbach said. The vehicle parked at the bus loop was then searched and the lockdown ordered before the other two suspects were found in the office area of the school, officials said. “At no time was anyone in any danger,” Dreisbach said, noting that no weapons were found on any of the suspects’ persons. The suspects entered the school building through a side door after illegally parking their vehicle on the bus loop, Dreisbach said. The administrators handled the situation appropriately, she added. The situation could be addressed quickly because “they are in tune with their school,” Dreisbach said. “They know their students.”
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