A gun turned up on the campus of North Springs High School in Sandy Springs on Tuesday, triggering a swift response from Fulton County school police and launching an active investigation. District officials say any students tied to the weapon will be disciplined and could also end up facing criminal charges.
According to 95.5 WSB, several people on campus alerted administrators that a student might have a gun, and school police moved in quickly. In a letter to families - quoted by 95.5 WSB - the North Springs principal warned that any students involved in bringing the gun to school "will be disciplined and face potential criminal charges."
North Springs is part of Fulton County Schools and lists its address as 7447 Roswell Road NE in Sandy Springs, according to North Springs High School. The campus serves a large north Fulton student body in a district that has tightened safety protocols this school year.
District safety and recent incidents
The incident lands in the middle of a broader spike in weapons cases in Fulton County Schools. From August through early February, the district recorded 17 incidents involving a handgun and responded by adding security staff and upgrading surveillance, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
At the state level, lawmakers are weighing proposals to expand weapons-detection systems in Georgia public schools, a debate outlined by WSLS/AP.
Fulton County school officials are calling the North Springs case an active investigation and are not releasing many additional details. Administrators say the safety of students and staff remains the top priority as investigators work to pin down exactly what happened on campus.
