A quiet Monday at Freedom Trail Elementary ended with a parent in handcuffs after deputies say they found him carrying a holstered handgun on school property.
Avery County deputies arrested the male parent outside the school, saying he never went inside the building and never made any threats to students or staff. According to the sheriff's office, he was taken into custody without incident. Officials say he faces a charge of possession of a firearm on school property along with several traffic-related offenses. District leaders brought in extra law enforcement the next morning while the investigation continued.
The Avery County Sheriff’s Office told WCNC that deputies found the holstered firearm on the parent outside the campus and arrested him at the scene. Deputies described the encounter as handled "without incident" and again stressed there was no immediate threat to anyone at the school.
School response and sheriff's statement
Avery County Schools lists Freedom Trail Elementary in Elk Park along U.S. Highway 19E. In a statement to WCNC, the Avery County Sheriff’s Office said "there are no threats to any schools" and that additional school resource officers would be present the following morning. The district worked with deputies to secure the campus while investigators followed up on what happened outside the school.
Legal notes
Deputies say the man was cited for possession of a firearm on school property and several traffic-related offenses, and prosecutors will decide whether to pursue formal charges. Officials emphasized that the arrest was treated as a public-safety enforcement action, and investigators are still reviewing the circumstances described in the deputies' reports.
