MADISON, Ala. — UPDATE 11/8: Madison City School District has given a new statement with updated information.
The statement read:
Dear MCS Parents,
I want to update you on the incident that occurred at Liberty Middle School yesterday involving a student found on campus with a loaded gun. On Wednesday evening, the Madison Police Department (MPD) responded to a report of a gun being displayed at an apartment complex in Madison. While the investigation revealed no credible threat or intent to harm anyone at the school, a breakdown in communication between MPD and the local school administration delayed our response.
While the School Resource Officer (SRO) was informed of the investigation on Wednesday evening and the school-level administration received information of the investigation on Thursday morning, the failure to communicate promptly between the involved parties resulted in several hours of delay before the school administration took action. Unfortunately, established communication protocols were not followed.
Today, we met with Chief Gandy and other MPD leaders to review the events and develop ways to improve our communication and procedures moving forward. Our goal is to prevent delays like this in the future, and we are committed to refining our processes for the safety of our students and staff. I am grateful for the continued support of the Madison Police Department and our SRO team, who play a vital role in keeping our schools safe.
Mr. Golliver, our district's Safety Coordinator, had already planned to convene a safety committee meeting of staff and parents for this month. This committee will review our current safety protocols and explore potential improvements, including new technologies that could enhance school safety.
I appreciate your patience over the past 24 hours as we continued our investigation and collaborated closely with our partners to improve safety measures. As superintendent, I am confident that both the MPD and MCS teams are committed to the safety of our students and staff.
Sincerely,
Ed Nichols
Madison City Schools responded to a report of a weapon in at Liberty Middle School with a note to parents detailing their response to the incident.
The statement read:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We want to inform you about an incident that occurred at Liberty Middle School today. After lunch, a student was found in possession of a weapon. When notified of the potential weapon on campus, the administration along with the SRO immediately found the student, isolated the student, and retrieved the weapon. Please know that the safety and security of our students and staff are our top priorities. We have strict measures in place for situations like these, and we are committed to providing a safe learning environment for everyone. As always, the Madison City Schools Safety and Security Coordinator, Mr. Jamie Golliver, along with our partners at the Madison Police Department will review this situation.
Thank you for your support and understanding as we work together to keep our school community safe.
The City of Madison shared additional information:
Madison Police responded to a report last night that a 13 year old child was carrying a pistol at a local apartment complex. Officers were unable to confirm that the child had a firearm and notified the School Resource Officer at Liberty Middle School where the child attends. Today SRO's made contact with the same student, and a search was conducted by officers and school staff. A loaded 9mm handgun was located on him and taken as evidence. An investigation is being conducted into the incident. The 13 year old male, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was charged with Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Firearm, which is a felony under Alabama Law. The juvenile was taken to the Neaves-Davis Juvenile Detention Center.
