Update on Stewarts Creek

Students at Stewarts Creek High School in Smyrna were secured while school resource officers quickly removed a handgun from a student’s backpack this morning, a school resource officer supervisor said.

SRO Matt Clagg charged a 16-year-old Stewarts Creek High School student with possession of a weapon on campus and simple possession of marijuana after school resource officers found a handgun and marijuana inside his backpack.

SRO Lt. Alan Garner said administrators received information about the handgun, placed the school on Code Red lockdown and notified the SROs.

Within minutes, Stewarts Creek High School SROs Clagg and SROs Shane Vaughn, and SRO Chris Freischlag from Stewarts Creek Middle School, took the student into custody. The SROs were familiar with the student.

They detained another student who was not arrested after the investigation.

Clagg arrested the student and transported him to the Juvenile Detention Center where he awaits a Juvenile Court hearing Sept. 28.

Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh said due to the relationships that our School Resource Officers have with the students and the school administration, they were made aware of a possible threat and took immediate action.

“I am very proud of our SROs,” Fitzhugh said. “They perform an invaluable service each and every day.”

Other SROs, several sheriff’s patrol deputies and Smyrna Police responded as back up.