Two Lake City High School students face criminal charges after one student admitted to bringing a gun to campus Thursday. The school was shut down for two hours Thursday after the report of a weapon on campus.
The district's public information officer, Brian Huckabee, says a student reported to administrators that he spotted a gun in another student's book bag just after 12:30 p.m.
The school resource officer was alerted to the situation and he called in the Florence County Sheriff's Office. They searched students' book bags and trash cans throughout the school.
Officers did a thorough search of the building, but didn't find a weapon.
The lockdown was lifted around 1:45 p.m.
After continued investigation, Lake City High School in cooperation with the Florence County Sheriff's Department determined that a student did have a handgun on school campus. The school district says the student admitted to sheriff's deputies that he brought a gun on campus, but that it was taken off campus by another student before the lockdown went into effect. Both students are facing criminal charges. Additionally, both will be referred for a district administrative hearing.
"We were able to use our crisis plan and make sure everybody responded like they should," said Huckabee.
Huckabee said he's thankful the student reported what he thought he saw, even though a weapon wasn't found.
"Always want to students to report things that are dangerous."
Lake City Elementary School, which is located beside Lake City High, went into a lockout because of its proximity to Lake City High. A lockout means the exterior doors to the school are locked and students and staff remain inside the school and continue their normal class schedule.
