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Renaissance Middle School principal addresses gun, lockdown
Dr. Ava Williams, the principal of Renaissance Middle School sent a letter out to parents addresses an incident in which she said a weapon was confiscated from a student. While no one was hurt, parents wasted no time getting to the school to pick their children up. FOX 5 spoke to one parent and her daughter who described the incident.
FAIRBURN, Ga. - The discovery of a gun at a public middle school in Fairburn forced the institution to go under lockdown on Wednesday. That lockdown has since been lifted.
A spokesperson for Renaissance Middle School told FOX 5 the school was put in a hard lockdown as a precautionary measure after a student told an adult they saw another student on campus with the gun.
Fulton County officers who were called to the school questioned several students before they found the weapon. Dr. Ava Williams, the school's principal said officers quickly confiscated it.
Renaissance Middle School (FOX 5 Atlanta)
"Out of an overabundance of caution, we decided to hold all students in class during the investigation and the school was placed into a hard lockdown. A ‘hard lockdown’ is when there is a threat or hazard inside of the school building or in situations when school leaders deem appropriate. The school was swept, and the hard lockdown was lifted and the issue was resolved," the principal wrote in a letter to parents addressing the incident.
Officials were able to determine there was no longer an active threat.
Renaissance Middle School (FOX 5 Atlanta)
While no one was hurt during the incident, parents weren't taking any chances. FOX 5 spoke to a mother and her daughter who described the incident.
"Everybody was freaking out," student Aysyah Davis said. "It was just rumors about everything--a gun, and people saying they were going to fight," Aysyah Davis, a student, said.
"This is an extremely serious occurrence, and this behavior will not be tolerated. Any situation potentially endangering the safety of our school community will be handled quickly and judiciously, including a discipline hearing and possibly criminal charges for the responsible parties," Williams said.
"They're pretty on point with getting in contact with everybody and just getting everyone out safely, so I do appreciate that," Aysyah's mother said.
This story is breaking. Check back for updates.