Lott stresses gun safety, parent accountability following 3 gun-related school arrests
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott provided updates Thursday afternoon on three gun related arrests involving local schools.
His press conference serves as a reminder to the community that Richland County has zero tolerance for bringing a gun on school grounds — and added that students and parents will face consequences.
“I talk to all three school superintendents — Dr. Walker, Dr. Moore, Dr. Ross — on a regular basis. One of our biggest priorities is making sure our schools are safe,” says Lott.
The first incident took place on Tuesday, when a student at J.P. Thomas Elementary School reported seeing a six-year-old child on the school bus with a “BB gun.”
The School Resource Officer then found a loaded 300 blackout AR pistol in the child’s backpack.
“Look how big that bullet is. That bullet will go through multiple seats of a school bus. It will go through windshields. It will go through walls. It will go through a lot of stuff. So if that gun had been fired on that bus, there’s no telling where this bullet would’ve went or what child’s name it would’ve had on it,” says Lott.
The child’s mother, Destar Hall, told deputies that her son found the gun in the woods. Instead of turning it into authorities, Lott says she placed the gun back in the woods where it was found. Her six-year-old then finding it again, and taking it to school. Hall was arrested and charged with unlawful conduct towards a child. “That’s not being a mom. That’s not anything about being a responsible adult,” says Lott.
Also happening on Tuesday at Richland Northeast High School, Lott says a 16-year-old student attempted to pass through the metal detector with a Glock 19x, holding 17 rounds of bullets. The teenager was arrested and transported to SC DJJ where he now faces multiple charges.
“That 16-year-old has lost a school year for a whole year, he won’t be going back to school,” says Lott.
And on Wednesday, Cassandra McGee, a mother of a student at Ridge View High School, was arrested for having a loaded pistol (a Ruger LPC .380 Auto) in her purse as she attempted to enter the building.
“Metal detectors work. You try to come into a school with a weapon, it’s gonna go off, and you’re gonna get arrested. Zero tolerance for that,” says Lott.
August 24th through the 28th is coincidentally known as BeSmart’s Smart Week – a joint effort between RCSD and Prisma Health Richland Hospital — meant to raise awareness about secure gun storage. Gun owners will have two chances to get free gun locks and gun boxes to help keep communities safe.
On Monday, August 24th, community members can pick up free gun locks or gun boxes at 2500 Decker Boulevard from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
On Thursday, August 27th, community members can pick up free gun locks or gun boxes at the RCSD Region 1 Substation (2615 Lower Richland Boulevard) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The items will be free while supplies last, says Lott, and deputies will only ask recipients for their zip code.
During the press conference, Lott also said that there are nearly 58,000 students across Richland County, and most of them are doing great things on a daily basis, and that it’s unfortunate that bad situations like these get so much attention.
