HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Administrators with Huntsville City Schools responded to an incident involving a gun at the district's McDonnell Elementary School. No one was injured.
The district released the following statement:
This morning [Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022], at approximately 8:45 a.m., students at McDonnell Elementary School were handling a firearm and ammunition in a restroom. While doing so, the firearm discharged causing no injuries. The students’ teacher and school administration responded immediately to the disturbance caused by the discharge of the firearm. The school administration quickly contained the situation. Additionally, the school administration has contacted the parents/guardians of the students involved and will begin working with the District to implement disciplinary consequences consistent with the Behavioral Learning Guide and applicable Board policies.
The District and school teams also worked closely with law enforcement following this incident. The District will work with law enforcement to investigate how the students were able to obtain these items and bring them on campus. As the District has stated in the past, school safety is a community effort, and HCS needs the help of parents, guardians, and families to ensure that our students are not able to obtain these dangerous items. Please ensure that all weapons in your home are secured and that your students do not have access to them.
Again, the situation at McDonnell Elementary is under control. The school is safe and conducted its typical school activities, and we commend the faculty, staff, and administration for their fast response. HCS asks that everyone stay clear of the campus at this time while the District and law enforcement continue their investigation.
When asked about why parents were not told about the incident until early afternoon, a representative for the district said, "The school team was working with law enforcement to investigate the situation and contact the families of the students involved. Considering the situation was quickly contained and nobody was hurt, parents were notified early in the afternoon upon reaching an appropriate point in the investigation."