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High school student arrested for carrying handgun at Newnan football game

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  September 14, 2024 12:58am EDT
Coweta County
FOX 5 Atlanta

In brief:

    • Student arrested with a handgun at a high school football game.
    • Officers detained student after identifying a concealed weapon.
    • No other individuals were involved in the incident.
    • Gun secured by school resource officers, unclear if loaded.
    • Principal emphasizes safety reporting in response to the arrest.

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - An East Coweta High School student was arrested on Friday evening for bringing a handgun to the Northgate High School football game against Newnan High School. 

According to the Coweta County School Systems, at around 9:30 p.m., Coweta County Sheriff's Deputies and school officials spotted a student in the home-side stands with what they believed was a concealed handgun in his waistband. The student tried to run but was taken into custody. 

School resource officers providing security at the game were able to secure the handgun. It was not clear if the gun was loaded at the time. 

Authorities say no other students or attendees were involved in the incident. 

In a statement issued by Dr. Ashley Wilkes, principal of Northgate High School, the administration expressed gratitude for the swift actions of the SROs and school officials. "We greatly appreciate the quick action of our SROs and school administrators which led to the resolution of this incident," Dr. Wilkes stated. 

Dr. Wilkes also emphasized the importance of parents reminding their children to report any safety concerns to school authorities. "It is our goal to always be proactive when the safety of students is concerned and to be transparent with our parents and stakeholders if an incident occurs," the statement read. 

The names and ages of the children were not released. It was not immediately clear which charges the student would face. 

Sources:

  • Coweta County School Systems