School officials: Janitors find gun hidden inside high school in Henry County

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Custodians at a local high school found something more than trash. They found a gun hidden inside the school.

The custodians were cleaning Woodland High School in Henry County on Monday morning before students arrived when the gun was found.

The school said that no one was hurt, and no one was threatened. Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes got a hold of a letter the school sent to parents, faculty and staff about the gun.

"The weapon that was found was in a very inconspicuous place, a place probably most people wouldn’t even notice it," said J.D. Hardin, a spokesperson for Henry County Schools.

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School police and parents are concerned about how the weapon ended up there.

Fernandes spoke with several parents Tuesday afternoon as they picked up their children from Woodland High School.

"I’m concerned with the whole thing. The whole thing about guns anyways. But to have it in school? It’s bothersome," Latisha McJunkin told Fernandes.

Parents fear that whoever left the gun is still attending the school.

“They’re faced with so much today, you know? Who knows if the kid was hiding it and was planning to go back for it," a parent told Fernandes.

Fernandes asked school officials if the gun was loaded and where the gun was found, but they couldn’t say because it’s all under investigation.

School officials are encouraging any student with information to come forward.

Here is the letter that Prinicipal Dr. Shannon Ellis sent to the school and parents:

Dear WHS Faculty and Staff:

This is a safety and security message to let you know that WSH Administration was alerted early this morning by custodial staff members that a weapon was found on campus. The discovery happened before the school day started. The School Resource Officer is assisting in the investigation.

This important thing to note is that no one was threatened or harmed, and the school day is progressing as normal.

We wanted to make you aware of this matter and let you know that are working all appropriate steps with law enforcement to conduct a full investigation. Thank you for patience and understanding as we work to ensure the safety and security of students and staff. This is an important reminder that as a school community, it is important to be vigilant and if you see something, to please say something.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Shannon Ellis, Ph. D.
Principal
Woodland High School

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