Collins-Riverside Student Brought A Gun to School to Sell, Officials Say
There was "no threat" to students or faculty at Collins-Riverside Middle School Thursday when a student brought a handgun to school intending to sell it, according to a Tuscaloosa County School Systems spokesperson.
A notice from the Office of the Superintendent said administrators at the middle school received information Thursday that a student may have brought a gun to the school.
They immediately involved the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, who searched the campus and at first did not find evidence of a weapon there.
At the end of the school day, two students came forward and reported they had seen a gun and the investigation continued.
With the help of the University of Alabama Police Department's canine unit, police were able to locate a handgun outside the school building late Thursday evening.
According to school officials, the student believed to have brought the handgun to campus was not at school Friday, but under TCSS policy, may face consequences leading to expulsion for bringing the firearm to the school.
The student may also face legal ramifications for their actions, administrators said.
"There is still no belief that there was ever intent to threaten students or faculty/staff," school officials said. "Information obtained indicates the student brought the gun to the school in an attempt to sell it."
The Office of the Superintendent commended the staff at Collins-Riverside for handling the situation professionally and with minimal disruption and thanked the sheriff's office and UAPD for their assistance in investigating the reports and bringing the situation to a resolution.