Augusta, GA – A disturbing incident at Butler High School in Augusta, Georgia, has sparked renewed concerns about student safety and the presence of weapons on school campuses. On Tuesday, a video surfaced showing the moments when a gun slipped from a student’s pants during a fight inside a classroom. The footage, filmed by a student who went against the school’s cell phone policy, captures the weapon falling to the floor, prompting immediate action from school administrators and police.

In a letter sent to parents, the school confirmed that a “weapon” was dropped during the altercation, although the video clearly shows it to be a firearm. The Richmond County School System responded swiftly, securing the campus for 45 minutes as law enforcement investigated the incident. The student involved in the fight was taken into custody.

The situation has left many parents feeling alarmed and frustrated, particularly since this is not the first time a weapon has been involved in an incident at a local school. Jalisa Johnson, a parent of a student at Butler High, expressed her concern, stating, “Nobody wants to keep sending their child to school and have to worry about if they’re going to make it home okay.” Johnson, along with other parents, is demanding stronger safety measures, including the installation of metal detectors at school entrances.

Many parents are troubled by the fact that their children may be at risk while at school. “They shouldn’t be telling us, ‘Mom, I’m scared,’ or ‘I don’t want to be at school today,’” Johnson said, emphasizing that student safety should not be an added worry for parents. “There are so many other reasons that they already don’t want to be in school for, their safety shouldn’t be one of them.”

This incident has reignited calls for enhanced security measures in Richmond County schools. Despite the district’s response to secure the campus during the investigation, parents are urging for more preventative actions to ensure such a situation does not escalate into a more serious event in the future. Johnson voiced her frustration, saying, “How many times does it have to happen before you guys are actually going to take action and put different rules in place, different safety measures?”

In response to the incident, the school district has been approached for comment on whether additional safety precautions, including metal detectors, will be implemented in schools. The community remains on edge as parents and students continue to seek reassurance and tangible changes to ensure the safety of all students.

For those with safety concerns, the Richmond County School District has provided a safety tip line at 706-828-1077 for anonymous reporting.

As the investigation continues, many in the Augusta community are left wondering what additional measures will be taken to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.