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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

A Davie High student has been suspended from school and may face criminal charges after posting a video of himself with an Airsoft gun on school campus.

School officials were alerted to the Snapchat post on Wednesday, when they spoke with the suspect, whose name is being withheld because he is a juvenile.

“The 17 year old stated that he brought an Airsoft gun onto school property via a vehicle, after school hours, and recorded the video while seated in a vehicle,” Davie Schools Superintendent Jeff Wallace said in a news release. “No threat was made at any time and the student has been charged with a misdemeanor.”

Sheriff J.D. Hartman says the law that bans weapons from school property specifically mentions Airsoft guns, which can look like a lethal weapon but which shoot plastic pellets and aren’t designed to do harm.

“The safety of our students is always our top priority, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated in Davie County Schools,” Wallace said. “DCS takes incidents like these very seriously, regardless of the type of weapon or if someone personally considers it a weapon or not.”

In addition to the misdemeanor charge, the student has been suspended from campus. “We will continue to support the individual with his educational path in an alternative way.”

Another student told school administrators about the video.

“We were alerted to this video by another student. I commend that individual for sharing information with the principal and we encourage others to do the same,” Wallace said.

Davie County Schools’ district hotline is a way to report safety concerns at a school.

“If you know or hear of something we should know, please reach out to help us ensure our students and staff remain safe and secure,” Wallace said.