Student hid handgun, bullet inside his gym shorts, Bibb school district says

A Bibb County high school was placed on lockdown Thursday after a tip led campus police to a student who had a handgun concealed in his gym shorts.

Officers and administrators searched the 16-year-old Westside High School student shortly after the tip was reported about 2:15 p.m., Bibb schools spokeswoman Stephanie Hartley told The Telegraph.

A.32 caliber Smith and Wesson was found in addition to a single bullet “which appeared to be inactive,” Hartley said.

Parents were notified of the situation in an automated phone message after school was dismissed.

The teen was arrested and taken to the Macon Regional Youth Detention Center.

Hartley said she was not sure what official charges the teen faced, but it would likely include possession of a gun on school grounds.

“The safety of our students and staff is one of our top priorities,” Hartley said in an email. “We will continue to conduct random searches as well as canine-assisted searches at all of our schools throughout the district to ensure the safety of our schools.”

The district has reported several other similar incidents since school started in August.

In early September, a 15-year-old Westside student was arrested after a hall monitor discovered an unloaded gun and marijuana inside a non-regulation bookbag.

Later in September, at Howard High School, on the north side of town, 17-year-old Nekale Zyquivous Oliver was arrested and charged with carrying weapons within school safety zones after a loaded 9mm handgun and bullets reportedly were found in his possession during a random search.

This story was originally published November 1, 2018 at 5:25 PM.