Guns seized at 2 schools

2 arrested in fight at Stone Mountain. Columbia student allegedly had gun in her purse.

Police in DeKalb County recovered loaded guns at two separate schools on different days this week, Channel 2 Action News reported. One gun was found on the ground after a fight involving several students, and the other was allegedly taken from the purse of a 16-year-old girl.

A gun was recovered Tuesday afternoon after a fight involving students outside Stone Mountain High School as school was letting out for the day.

“While they were fighting, some other guys jumped in, too, and one of the guys dropped their gun,” student Tyasia Wright told Channel 2. “It dropped out of his pocket, just came out of nowhere.”

Police recovered what they described as a loaded, small-caliber handgun. Two were arrested, one the 20-year-old sibling of a student allegedly involved in the fight. Police were investigating and said they intended to speak with students to determine how the gun end- ed up at the school.

Parents, meanwhile, were upset at the news.

“Anything can happen. Anybody can get hurt, especially with loaded weapons at school,” parent Audrey Walker said. “There’s no reason for them to bring loaded weapons to school anyway so that’s really disturbing.”

On Monday, a female student at Columbia High School was arrested after the school principal, acting on a tip to staff by another student, searched the purse of the teen and allegedly found a loaded 9 mm handgun inside, Channel 2 reported.

The owner of the purse was arrested and charged with three offenses including having a gun on school grounds.

The latest incidents followed a fracas last week outside Tucker High School, in which a DeKalb County school resource officer sustained serious injuries while trying to break up a brawl involving students after dismissal.

When Officer Jarvis Brown and other school personnel intervened to break it up, Brown twisted his right ankle, causing broken bones that required surgery. Brown now faces four to five months of recuperation.

Authorities said four students were arrested and charged in the fight and were suspended for 10 days.