BCSO: Students charged after 3 guns found at Philip Simmons High School

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) on Monday charged two Philip Simmons High School students after three handguns were found on campus Friday.

According to BCSO, a school resource officer (SRO) was told that a student brought a gun to a football game a week earlier. The SRO told school administrators and a search of that student was conducted, which is when a handgun was found in a fanny pack belonging to the student.

Officials later learned that two other students may have had handguns. When officials searched one of those students, they found two handguns in his bookbag.

That student fled and the school was placed on lockdown as law enforcement searched the area.

The third student in question had been signed out early Friday. Officials visited him at home and confirmed with a guardian that he did not have access to weapons.

The two students that were in possession of the guns were charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. The second student was also charged with possession of a stolen firearm, as one of the guns was reported stolen by the Summerville Police Department.

Both students were taken to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.