'Gun was definitely there,' students say
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February 1, 2013 |
The two students who allegedly witnessed a firearm
on the Bonners Ferry High School campus Thursday afternoon and reported it,
prompting a lockdown, are insistent that there
was, indeed, a pistol on campus, and both are
concerned that the owner of the weapon, who both said they've
heard boasting of having it "24/7,"
will continue bringing it to the school
campus in spite of
school policy.
Their report prompted a lockdown of the high
school Thursday afternoon.
"The gun wasn't found, but it was definitely
there," one of the students said. "This was not
an exaggeration, it was not imagination. It was
freaky and it was real."
Because of the nature of the incident and
because the investigation is still underway by
the Bonners Ferry Police Department, no names
are being used. All involved were identified as
students, all male, at Bonners Ferry High
School.
According to one of the students, he and a
friend were walking in the upper parking lot of
the school during lunch when they heard a
vehicle revving and racing around the lot and
then come toward them.
Both witnesses said they know the two students
in the pickup, a black and silver Toyota, and
one said he'd been having on-going problems with
the passenger, the student who allegedly
brandished the pistol after a brief exchange of
one-fingered hand signs.
"I've been having problems with the kid who
waved the gun for awhile," one of the witnesses
said. "He's always starting rumors and trying to
get me to fight. We flipped each other off while
they were driving towards us, and then he
reached under the seat and pulled the pistol and
waved it at as."
Both boys described the weapon as a silver Smith
& Wesson .22 with a black grip, and both said
that it belonged to the driver of the pickup,
not the boy who allegedly brandished it.
Not wanting a confrontation, both witness took
off for school. The pickup, both said, sped
away.
On the way to the high school, one of the boys'
cellphones rang; it was his mother, late
bringing his lunch because she had to stop at
the doctors office, telling him she was out
front.
He met her there, he said, told her what had
happened, and she accompanied them inside, where
they said they immediately reported the incident
to the principal, Kirk Hoff.
"It had to be between 12:40 or 12:50 (p.m.),"
one said, "because the bell rang."
Police and emergency personnel were summoned to
the school shortly before 2 p.m. One of the
students estimated that from the time they made
the report until the school lockdown was
implemented, at least half an hour had passed.
Both boys said they were questioned several
times, both by school administrators and by
police, and both said the two in the pickup, the
driver with his father, had been questioned
extensively as well.
"They had the kid who was driving in handcuffs
and his dad was there," one said. "When the kid
waving the gun was leaving, he had a big smirk
on his face."
Despite a thorough search of the vehicle, the
students' lockers, packs and persons, no gun
turned up, which surprised neither of the
witnesses.
"I heard the same story from six different kids
that he (the driver) called his dad and had him
come get it," one said. Both said there had been
plenty of time, and both said that's what they
believe happened.
On Friday morning, one of the witnesses and his
mother went to the police department, where they
said they were promised a full investigation. A
call to the police department was not returned
in time for publication, but this article may be
updated should the call be returned later.
"The superintendent spoke wrong when he said
this was exaggerated (see
High school
locked down; gun reported)," one
witness said. "I told the principal the truth, I
told the police the truth and I'm telling you
the truth. I did not exaggerate." |
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