Cartersville Student Arrested In Shooting After 2 Guns Found At School

CARTERSVILLE, GA — A Cartersville High School student shot at a BMW before going to school and hiding two guns in the campus bathroom, Cartersville Police said Thursday.

Officers responded around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to a shots fired call at an apartment complex in the 50 block of Ridge Row Drive Northeast.

Police had received a report of a car break-in involving a stolen handgun, Cartersville City School officials said in a message sent to families. Patch has obtained a copy of the message.

When they arrived, police said they saw the BMW sitting in the parking lot after being shot multiple times. Several discharged shell casings were found near the car, police said.

Investigators then identified the suspect as the Cartersville High student, who left for school after the shooting, police said.

They then found two guns and ammunition in an upstairs bathroom at the school, police said.

"Based on evidence from the investigation, at no time did any other students access or have knowledge of the hidden items. Lockdown procedures were not initiated because there was no threat present and the items were retrieved within minutes.," school officials said.

The student, who was not identified, was charged on suspicion of several counts of entering auto, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, reckless conduct and carrying a weapon in a school safety zone, police said.

The student was placed into the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice and was charged as a juvenile, police said.