HUNTERSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

MEDIA RELEASE Weapon on School Property

Media Release Number: 131002-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2013

HUNTERSVILLE, NC: On Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 10:27a.m., the Huntersville Police Department received a call from Security personnel at Central Piedmont Community College Merancas Campus, advising a student currently on the campus may be in possession of a handgun. Officers responded and made contact with CPCCs security personnel, who provided information on a student witness which had observed two white males in the parking lot of the campus in possession of a weapon. Huntersville Officers requested CPCC security personnel lock down the campus so officers could conduct a security sweep of the property. As a precaution, Lake Norman Charter High School and Middle School were placed on lockdown due to the close proximity to where the weapon was last seen in the CPCC campus parking lot. Huntersville officers in conjunction with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the assistance of the CMPD aviation unit, conducted a complete search of the campus as well as the immediate areas around the campus and did not locate the suspects. Officers were able to identify one of the suspects by vehicle description and vehicle registration information provided by the witness. Investigators were able to locate this suspect at his workplace and conducted an interview about the incident. The suspect is a student at the campus and was indeed at the campus this morning, but had left to go to work before the arrival of officers. During the investigation, it was determined the weapon seen on campus by the witness, in possession of the suspect, was a paintball gun. It was determined that the second suspect was not involved. Officers will not be pursuing charges in relation to this incident at this time. Anyone with information concerning this crime, or anyone requesting more information, should contact Deputy Chief of Police Michael Kee at 704-464-5400.

The Mission of the Huntersville Police Department, through a Community Policing Partnership, is to improve the quality of life and provide a sense of safety and security in our community, through the delivery of outstanding services with the highest standards of Honor, Professionalism, and Dedication to Duty.