| The look-alike gun is on the top and the 40 caliber handgun used by local law enforcement is on the bottom. |
The use of a semi-automatic electric gun which shoots BB like projectiles has resulted in the expulsion of a female student from Emery High. An incident recently took place in a P.E. class where another female was struck in the back of the head with a BB from an air gun. Another female student reported the incident to Vice Principal Kelly Alton who questioned the female who had been shot. She indicated she had a headache and there was a red spot where she had been hit.
The female being identified as the shooter was brought in for questioning and denied involvement in the shooting incident. Alton requested she empty out her pockets and purse and her locker was also checked for evidence of a weapon. Nothing was found in the locker, but approximately 24 of the BBs were found in her purse. She said she had just gathered the BBs in the Spartan Center and put them in her purse.
The girl was sent back to class and she happened to be in the same class as the girl who had been shot. She reportedly confronted the girl who had been shot and asked her why she told she had been shot. She began using bad language and the teacher in the class immediately took the girl to the principal’s office. She was suspended for the use of bad language and the pending investigation of the gun incident.
School authorities then called law enforcement to investigate the incident. Over the past several weeks students have been shot with the bbs at school. School authorities want everyone to know the school has a zero tolerance policy on weapons at school. Any type of a weapon and facsimiles of firearms are strictly off limits at school.
Emery High Principal Gwen Callahan said, “We are concerned for the safety of our students. These types of weapons will not be tolerated on the school grounds and at any of our activities. We are also concerned for the safety of students having these guns. They look like a real gun and you could put yourself in danger from a police officer thinking it is a real weapon. Don’t bring them to school, we won’t tolerate them and all cases will be turned over to the sheriff’s office for investigation.”
These types of weapons are not just toys and are considered very dangerous. The warning label on the guns say the misuse or unsafe use may cause severe injuries or death and they are not to be shot at humans or animals, only targets.
Emery County Sheriff Lamar Guymon said, “We do not want any students hurt or expelled and the students and parents need to understand that weapons of any kind are not to be brought into the school. Students wanting to participate in these types of activities with these guns should go to the desert or somewhere, do not bring them to school.”
Callahan said, “We will be forced to take action if they are brought to school. We want to protect all of the students and we just want to make the parents aware of what our concerns are with this. Talk to your students about these guns and make sure they know they can’t bring them to school. We don’t want them in the vehicles out in the parking lots either. We are obligated by law to notify law enforcement and there will be serious consequences for violators.”
The sheriff’s office is also concerned with the look-alike guns and how closely they replicate a real gun. Students have also been removing the red caps off the toy pistols which makes them even more real looking.
Callahan said, “We want students to feel safe at school, the girl who was shot no longer felt safe.”