
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 11, 1994                   TAG: 9402110046
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

STUDENT FACES CHARGE IN SCHOOL-GUN INCIDENT

Roanoke County police have obtained a warrant for a North Cross School student who is accused of carrying an unloaded pistol onto school property last week.

Lt. H.A. Phillips confirmed that charges had been placed against the 18-year-old senior, who was expelled after officials at the private school found a .22-caliber pistol in the pocket of a coat stashed in a bag.

The teen-ager was charged under a felony statute that prohibits possession of a gun on school property.

At first, authorities worried that the student might slip through a loophole in the law, which does not apply to unloaded guns carried in closed containers.

But a magistrate Thursday afternoon agreed to issue the warrant under the possession statute.

"To me, a coat is not a closed container," Roanoke County Commonwealth's Attorney F.W. "Skip" Burkhart said.

Burkhart ordered the police investigation Wednesday after learning that school authorities had not reported the gun on campus.

The name of the student has not been released pending his arrest.

Will Stacey, headmaster of the private school, said the boy brought the gun to school following a disagreement with another student at an off-campus party.

Stacey said the boy wanted to let the other student know he had a weapon in case that student kept threatening him.

Stacey said the student who was carrying the gun had no bullets with him.

by CNB