A routine school day at Westwood Elementary in West Jefferson took a sudden turn Wednesday when staff and deputies found a handgun tucked into a pocket of a student’s backpack, authorities said. School employees and law enforcement secured the campus while investigators sorted out what happened, and no injuries were reported. Investigators concluded the child did not act with criminal intent, and the student will not be charged, according to the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigation and charges
Deputies discovered the firearm hidden in a compartment of the student’s backpack during the school day, the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office told WCNC. Investigators identified the parents as Michael Damienn Zandiotis and Stephanie Marshburn Zandiotis.
According to the sheriff’s office, both parents face a felony count for weapons on campus or other educational property. In addition, Stephanie Marshburn Zandiotis is charged with a misdemeanor count alleging she carried a concealed weapon, WCNC reported.
Booking, sheriff’s statement and release
"Our responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff," Sheriff B. Phil Howell said in a statement to WCNC.
The sheriff’s office told the outlet that both parents were booked into the Ashe County Detention Center on $5,000 unsecured bonds and have since been released. Officials said the case remains under a joint investigation involving Ashe County school leaders and the sheriff’s office.
School response
District officials said Ashe County Schools and Westwood Elementary staff worked with deputies to secure the scene and notify families while the investigation was underway. The school’s website and district materials outline protocols for handling weapons brought onto campus, including referring such incidents to law enforcement and following established safety procedures.
According to the district, students returned to their regular routines once authorities declared the campus safe.
Legal context
The charges fall under North Carolina’s weapons-on-campus statute, which treats possession of a firearm on educational property as a serious offense and spells out when it can be prosecuted as a felony. For the specific language, see G.S. 14-269.2 on the North Carolina General Assembly website. Prosecutors will review the investigative file and decide whether to move forward with formal charges in court.
Why it matters
Incidents involving weapons on school grounds remain a top safety concern for local districts and state officials. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction tracks weapon possession as one of the reportable categories in statewide school incident data, reflecting how closely these cases are watched.
Anyone with information related to the West Jefferson incident is asked to contact the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office.
