11-year-old NC student had loaded gun in lunchbox, district says

(Cutout Photo: Ilmicrofono Oggiono / Flickr / CC BY 2.0)

PARKTON, N.C. (WBTW) – An 11-year-old girl was found with a loaded gun in a lunchbox at Parkton Elementary in Robeson County, according to the district.

District spokesperson Glen Burnette III said the gun was found in a lunchbox shortly after noon Monday. Students told a band teacher the student had a gun, who then told the school resource officer.

The school resource officer searched the lunchbox and found the gun, Burnette said. The student was automatically suspended for 365 days.

Burnette said police may charge the parents.

Multiple guns have been found on Robeson County students this academic year, including a second-grader who had a gun, a kindergartener who was given a backpack with a gun inside and a ninth-grader who was found with a gun on campus.

A 15-year-old student was caught in the fall with a loaded gun at Lumberton High School. Another loaded gun was found at Purnell Sweet High School. In August, a 10th-grade student was found at Lumberton High School with a gun and cocaine.

No other information was immediately available.