2 guns, marijuana found, 2 charged at Rock Hill school where extra cops were on hand

An 18-year-old student at a Rock Hill school that had extra police on campus Friday because of rumored violence was arrested after officers found two guns and about a half pound marijuana in a car, police said.

The incident happened around noon Friday at South Pointe High School, police said.

One of the guns was loaded and one was not, police said. One of the guns was stolen, police said.

Dakota Patterson, 18, is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute near a school; carrying a weapon on school grounds; and possession of a stolen gun, said Capt. Mark Bollinger of the Rock Hill Police Department.

Another student, Willow McDonough, 17, was charged with simple possession of marijuana, Bollinger said.

York County drug agents are investigating, police said.

A fight happened between two male students that appeared to be over a girl, Bollinger said. In the parking lot, in a car belonging to Patterson, officers recovered the two handguns and the drugs, Bollinger said.

Rock Hill police had extra officers on campus Friday because of an investigation into rumored threats of violence discovered Thursday, police and school district officials said earlier on Friday.

“Patterson was arrested while extra officers were on campus due to rumors of violence possible on campus today,” Bollinger said. “As officers and school staff followed up on information and rumors during the morning, Mr. Patterson was found to have the guns on the campus.”

Police are trying to determine if there is any link between the rumored violence and Friday’s fight that led to officers finding the guns and drugs.

Both police and school officials said that the rumors of violence were “not credible.”

“As of right now, we do not know if this is related to the threats and rumors that had been investigated,” Bollinger said. “Officers and staff at South Pointe worked well together all day for the safety and security of all students and faculty on campus.”

South Pointe officials communicated with parents via a phone message early Friday, before the fight and arrests.

This story was originally published October 19, 2018 at 3:38 PM with the headline "2 guns, marijuana found, 2 charged at Rock Hill school where extra cops were on hand."