Bullet found at school in Fort Mill: No danger or threat, police, school officials say
A bullet was found by a student at a South Carolina school in Fort Mill Friday, officials said.
Fort Mill schools and Fort Mill police officials are investigating how the single bullet got in a locked storage closet.
There was no danger to students or staff at Forest Creek Middle School, said Joe Burke, spokesman for the Fort Mill school district.
A student who went into a locked storage closet where school supplies are kept found the single bullet under a box, Burke said. The student went into the closet at the behest of a teacher because the storage closet is kept locked, Burke said.
The teacher immediately contacted school and district administrators, Burke said.
Fort Mill Police Department Chief Bryan Zachary said there were no threats at school either Friday or in any previous days. The school resource officer, a Fort Mill policeman, took possession of the single bullet.
The school principal sent out a message to parents Friday explaining what happened. The message said:
“I am contacting you to make you aware of a situation that took place at our school this morning. A student was going through materials in a storage closet under the direction of the teacher, and found a single round of ammunition in the storage closet under a box. This storage closet is locked during the school day and unlocked by the teacher when students need to retrieve materials for their projects. The student immediately reported this finding to the teacher who then contacted the administration. The school administration, in cooperation with the School Resource Officer, Officer Hiraldo, have determined that there was no danger to our students and staff at any time. The school will continue to investigate how and when the single round of ammunition came to be on school property. I want to assure you the safety of our students and staff is our top priority and we thank the student and staff for their quick actions in this situation.”
Forest Creek, the district’s newest middle school, opened in August. It sits across the street from Catawba Ridge High School in southern Fort Mill.
The Fort Mill school district, located south the North Carolina state line near Charlotte, is the largest in York County with around 18,000 students. The district has 20 campuses.
This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 5:37 PM.
