FIRST ON 3: Three students charged for weapons possession at elementary school

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — How safe are your kids once your drop them off at school? After a string of arrests at local schools we found they may not be as safe as you think.

In the final week of February alone there were six students arrested in New Hanover County for bringing weapons to school.

Tuesday morning New Hanover County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested three students under the age of 10 at the Freeman School of Engineering for bringing an airsoft gun, and a lighter that looked like a gun to school.

When WWAY asked parents about the incident on Wednesday they said they had no idea.

“It’s very scary,” said George Brinson. “It shocks me to hear that that’s actually true.”

Dr. Rick Holliday, assistant superintendent of New Hanover County Schools, says that the students were caught as soon as they got off the bus and were cooperative with school administrators.

Holliday said that parents weren’t notified because it is a common occurrence.

“I don’t remember anyone ever bringing a weapon to school,” said Brinson.

“That’s not common at all,” said Cait Smith. “You kind of wonder where these kid’s parents are. I know if that were me my mom would have killed me!”

While parents get daily emails about the positive happenings around their child’s school, they say they never receive information about students bringing weapons unless the school goes on lockdown, and that’s just unacceptable.

“It’s scary but I feel like a lot of schools, whether it’s at the elementary school level or at the university level really do brush a lot of big issues under the rug,” said Smith.

“I wouldn’t think I would want to know about it immediately that day by text because I think that would probably set off alarms for a lot of people and it probably wouldn’t be appropriate,” said Brinson. “It’s frightening to think that someone would have that at school where you think your child would be safe.”

Dr. Holliday told WWAY that generally the weapons students are caught with are knives, and some of the time they are brought to school on accident in a lunch box.