Loaded gun found at school

Date: 11/7/2007

Fort Dorchester senior charged

By Nadine Parks
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, November 7, 2007

A Fort Dorchester High School student took a loaded gun to school Tuesday, authorities said. It was the third gun-related incident in North Charleston schools in 11 days.

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson says parents should take responsibility, for their children's sake.

"It's a concern that we have so many people with guns who aren't trained and educated on how to secure them and use them properly," she said. "Children are going to find guns. They are going to think they are interesting, and if we as adults don't take care to see that our firearms are secure, we are going to continue to have problems."

A school resource officer found a senior in the Fort Dorchester parking lot Tuesday morning after classes began at 7:30 a.m., said Pat Raynor, public information officer for Dorchester District 2. The officer questioned the young man and searched his bookbag, where the officer found a handgun, she said.

Alex Michael Sanders, 17, is charged with possession of a weapon on school property and appeared in court for a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon, said Spencer Pryor, public information officer for North Charleston police. Bond information was not available later in the afternoon because the municipal court offices were closed for the day.

The student will not return to the school, pending a disciplinary hearing, Raynor said.

An 11-year-old has been removed from school after taking a loaded handgun to Eagle Nest Elementary School on Monday. Police had not determined Tuesday where the child got the gun, Pryor said.

A 14-year-old student reportedly took bullets to River Oaks Middle School on Oct. 26. That student is accused of threatening to take a weapon to school and shoot people.

Eagle Nest and River Oaks share a campus and are located near the high school.

District 2 officials are trying to arrange a meeting of school administrators, police and parents in the hopes of finding solutions, Raynor said.

"It's a community issue," she said. "Our procedures are working, because the students were addressed and the weapons were confiscated, but we're concerned about the accessibility that young people have to weapons."

Matt Hansknecht, a resident of the nearby Whitehall community, has a son who attends Eagle Nest Elementary. He said parents need to educate their children about guns.

"I've taught my son about guns, and he knows better than to even think about bringing something like that to school," Hansknecht said.

Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postandcourier.com.

Copyright © 1997 - 2007 the Evening Post Publishing Co.