Columbus County student arrested after unloaded gun found at school

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) -A Columbus County high school was on lockdown for about an hour and a half this morning after a gun was found on campus.

Schools Superintendent Alan Faulk says it happened around 8:00 a.m at East Columbus High School.

The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office says when Jaylene Ray’Shawn Pyatt, 16, got to school, he went into the locker room.

Faulk says the assistant principal witnessed Pyatt entering the locker room and waited for him to leave.

The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office says Pyatt  left his book bag in the locker room and was instructed by school personnel to retrieve the bag from the locker room. Pyatt did, but bypassed the metal detector when he left the locker room.

School staff entered the locker room, where they found the unloaded gun underneath clothing.

Investigators say Pyatt did not say why he brought the gun to school.

The student was arrested and charged with having a weapon on school property, which is a felony.

The student is in jail under a $10,000 bond.

The lockdown was lifted around 9:30 a.m.