Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 30, 1992 TAG: 9201300267
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER and NEAL THOMPSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
TOUGHER GUN CONTROL LAW SOUGHT
In the wake of the arrest of three teen-agers in gun-related incidents this week, Roanoke Vice Mayor Howard Musser said Wednesday that he would ask for a report on whether City Council can enact tougher controls on guns."We've got to do something," Musser said. "I'm not sure what we can do because this is a national and state problem as well as a city problem, but if there is anything we can do, we should."
If legal, metal detectors could be used to check students for guns or other weapons, Musser said. But he's not sure whether city officials would do that.
"We already have fences around some schools. I don't know if we would want to start using metal detectors because that would make it look like schools are prisons."
The arrests came after a weekend series of stories about kids and guns in the Roanoke Times & World-News.
Responding to the series - and to the arrest of the three teen-agers - city and school officials said they need to work together, with parents and with the community to keep guns out of kids' hands.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles said she already has talked with Superintendent Frank Tota about the problem of students who bring guns to school.
"Council and the School Board have got to do what we can to prevent guns in schools, although I'm not sure what it is," Bowles said.
School Board member Wendy O'Neil said she plans to meet next week with Lt. Jerry Dean, head of the Police Department Youth Bureau, who complained after the latest arrests that the community isn't standing up to the problem. "What I want to know is: How many other incidents are out there that we don't know about, that we don't hear about?" she said.
School Board member Sallye Coleman said the schools can't do it all: "I think parents need to become more involved in this."
The problem really starts at home and in the community, she said. Referring to Monday's arrest at Patrick Henry High School - where school administrators found a 16-year-old boy's .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol stashed in a locker - she said: "He brought that gun from the outside in. We are not issuing these things at the schools."
But Coleman also said that city officials need to avoid finger-pointing while trying to solve the problem. Too many fingers now are pointed at the schools for not doing the job.
"That's what disturbs me most. Because immediately when they see there's a child involved, it's a school problem," she said.
At least two City Council members said the General Assembly needs to be more involved.
"The real problem is that the General Assembly has got to do something about it on a statewide basis," James Harvey said.
If council has the authority to prohibit the sale of look-alike toy guns, Harvey said he will ask Wil Dibling, the city attorney, to draft such a law. "Someone is going to get killed if kids keep using these look-alike guns."
Councilman William White said Roanoke may need the General Assembly's help to get such measures approved. "As I understand it, the city's hands are tied because we can pass only what the General Assembly says we can."
White also said that schools should consider developing an educational programs for young children on the dangers of guns, similar to those for drugs.