NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 15-year-old is now facing a gun charge after an hours-long lockdown Tuesday at Granby High School in Norfolk.
Police said officers were called to Granby High around 10 a.m. on Tuesday after it was reported that a person had possibly come to school with a weapon. Police confirmed to WAVY News on Wednesday that they later received a report that a student brought a gun into the school after an off-campus incident.
Officers detained several students during the investigation, police said. One of those students, a 15-year-old boy, was charged with brandishing a firearm.
He is currently being held in the Norfolk Detention Center.
On Tuesday night, officers said that no one was hurt and no weapon had been found at the school. They did add that a “possible weapon was allegedly observed in a nearby apartment complex.”
Granby High School parents received a robocall from the school at 11:10 a.m. on Tuesday informing them about the lockdown.
The following statement was released by Norfolk school on Tuesday evening:
“Granby High School went into lockdown this morning under the advisement of the Norfolk Police Department, who had been called to investigate an incident involving a possible weapon that was allegedly observed in a nearby apartment complex. School administration immediately enacted safety and security protocols. All within Granby High School remained in lockdown as police conducted their investigation. No weapon was found in the school, and no one was hurt. We are grateful to our staff and students for their quick actions, and to our partners with the Norfolk Police Department for their quick response. Crisis counselors and additional staff will be on duty at Granby High School on Wednesday. We thank our entire school community for their caring and concern.”
Students said the lockdown was stressful.
“I was worried. When we first got there I didn’t have any information so I wasn’t sure what was going on or why we were on a lockdown,” said student Grace Peachock. “I was glad that they had caught them and we were safe.”
On Wednesday, students said they saw more police officers and more security guards on campus. Plus, students had to go through metal detectors at the main entrance.
“It was a little nerve-wracking at first, but I think it turned out good,” said student Gavin Sleeper. “I think there were less students here today than there usually is because of what happened yesterday.”
Norfolk Public Schools released this statement Wednesday afternoon:
“The safety and security of all within our schools and buildings is a top priority for Norfolk Public Schools. NPS regularly trains teachers and staff throughout the division on safety and security protocols, and we drill with students throughout the year to ensure they know what to do during a security alert or a lockdown situation. Norfolk Public Schools also works closely and collaboratively with the Norfolk Police Department to deploy School Resource Officers within our buildings and to provide additional resources as needed. Finally, NPS has provided a variety of resources to students and staff, such as the Vector app, which allows for reporting of concerns through the app, or by email, text or calls.
“We know that our community, including our neighbors, parents and students, plays a crucial role, and we ask for their continued support and diligence in alerting us to concerns so that we can investigate.“
However, a grandparent 10 On Your Side spoke with wants to see more security in the school.
“They need to have police in the school and they need to check out the students and see if they’re carrying any weapons cause you know, they’re putting everybody’s life at danger and that’s not right,” said Trish Williams.