Leon County Schools reported eight gun incidents in the 2021-2022 year. That’s several more than the year prior. Leon High School recently experienced a student bringing a gun on campus. And at Godby High School, a student posted a gun threat after an altercation with other students.
Former students and parents are growing increasingly concerned.
Juan Houston graduated from Lincoln High School in 2018. He lost a close friend to gun violence the summer after he graduated.
“Being so close to someone who was a victim of gun violence leaves a bitter taste in your mouth,” Houston said.
He said he’d like to see more involvement from the community to curb the ongoing violence.
Sori Sutton’s daughter attends Leon High School—the same place where a student recently was caught with a gun. Sutton says when she heard about the incident she was “terrified.” She and her daughter have made a plan for what to do next time.
“My daughter is concerned and we have made a safety plan for these situations,” Sutton said.
Sutton believes the Leon County School District is on the right track. The district recently added a dog that uses smell to detect weapons. The schools will also start random metal detecting searches.
