Brandon Morrissette: Ohio student, 18, who brought gun to school to shoot classmates charged with attempted murder
CHESTERLAND, OHIO: An 18-year-old Ohio high school student who allegedly brought a gun to school Monday, April 3, is being charged with attempted murder. Brandon Morrissette was charged in the incident at West Geauga High School in Chesterland, Ohio, and also faces charges related to illegal possession of a deadly weapon in a school zone and a misdemeanor count of inducing panic.
Police said that a 17-year-old student came forward and informed the school's resource officer that he found a bullet in a bathroom on campus. Nearly 20 students who used the bathroom in morning were questioned after officials reviewed the surveillance video.
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What did the officers find?
Officials discovered an unloaded 9 mm pistol just an hour after beginning the search along with three loaded magazines in Morrissette's backpack, in addition to a knife on his pants. The school was eventually placed on lockdown after the shocking discovery was made.
The suspect was planning to hurt students
Chester Township Police Department Chief Craig Young said that Morrissette was planning to hurt students. "During our interview with Mr. Morrissette, he admitted to using prior calculation and design in developing a plan to cause harm to students at West Geauga High School on April 3," Young said according to Fox News. "He further acknowledged the firearm seized by law enforcement on Monday was the weapon he intended to use to inflict that harm."
West Geauga Local Schools Superintendent Richard Markwardt credited the law enforcement officials for their exceptional work due to which they were able to avoid an unwanted tragedy. "The potential tragedy was prevented by the collective and concerted efforts by these groups," Markwardt said.
"It is a sad commentary that schools must face challenges to safety of students and staff, however, it is a reality that we must acknowledge and for which we prepare," he added. "In reality, every threatening situation has unique nuances that simultaneously require flexibility and decisiveness."
6-year-old girl brings gun to school
MEAWW previously reported that a South Florida father is being charged with felony after his 6-year-old daughter brought a gun to school. Homestead police said that after they were informed that a student had been discovered in possession of a pistol, officers were dispatched to the Keys Gate Charter School located at 2000 SE 28th Ave.
Investigators determined the father of the child, 39-year-old Reginald McCoy, put the gun in the backpack and forgot it due to unknown reasons when the student was brought to school. Police said the weapon was discovered in the child's backpack. However, the gun wasn't shot or held by the child and there were no injuries or a threat to anyone reported, 10 Local reported.