HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — George Washington High School students were searched Wednesday morning after administrators were informed that a student may be carrying a gun on a school bus headed for the school.
Around 6:35 a.m. Wednesday, an anonymous call was made to the GWHS office by a citizen who witnessed a student carrying a weapon, presumably a gun, the school said in a press release.
Upon receiving the report, the school’s administration was able to stop the bus before all students were dropped at the campus and conducted a “quick sweep” of the bus. Students and their belongings were searched by school personnel using a handheld metal detector.
At the time of the morning search, no contraband or weapons were discovered on the bus or in students’ possession. No evidence of threats was found in the school community.
“About the protocols in place, I think we’re getting different types of threats, and we’re seeing the protocols don’t always fit with the types of threats we’re getting. (Guam Department of Education) leadership is committed to looking at their protocols and looking at where they can improve,” said Sen. Chris Barnett, chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Education.
At 11:24 a.m. Wednesday, a Department of Public Works supervisor from the Barrigada station contacted the high school to inform school officials that a “weapon” was found within one of the seats of the bus.
The weapon was a toy airsoft pellet gun.
“It’s fortunate that we had the school staff and personnel search the bus and didn’t find the airsoft (gun), and it wasn’t found until the school bus returned to the bus people. But again, talking about the school staff, I don’t necessarily know if they’re trained to do all these searches. I think that’s one thing we can look at,” said Barnett.
The Guam Police Department was contacted for further investigation and retrieval of the item found.
“Threats are taken very seriously at GWHS, as the safety of our school community remains at the top of our priority,” said George Washington High School Principal Dexter Fullo.
GDOE Superintendent Kenneth Erik Swanson stated, “We are very concerned about the threat, and we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our school community. I appreciate the GWHS team for their prompt action in following the protocol, and I am grateful to DPW and GPD for their immediate assistance.”
School buses arrive at George Washington High School in Mangilao on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.
