|
A
subpoena has been issued to Verizon to produce the names
associated with six telephone numbers which came back after a
trace on a phone at Grundy High School was conducted to determine
who placed a call to the school last week and fired what sounded
like a gun multiple times.
The
tracer was filed in order to locate the caller who left a message
on the school voice mail system sometime between Tuesday night and
Wednesday morning. According to Buchanan County Sheriff's
Department Chief Deputy Alan Honaker, the recorded message sounded
like a series of gun shots.
The
recording featured no words, only what sounded like a series of
five shots.
It
followed the discovery last Tuesday of two .22 caliber shells in a
desk seat in a classroom at the school.
Police
did not think the two incidents were related.
After
the shells were found, student belongings were searched, as were
school lockers, however, no other bullets were discovered,
according to Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Alan Honaker.
After
the recording was discovered by school employees on Wednesday
morning, Superintendent Tommy P. Justus noted as a precautionary
measure, student lockers and book bags were again searched
Wednesday morning. Canine officers were also used in the search;
however no bullets or weapons were found.
A trace
on the call was placed through Verizon and Honaker said the trace
returned six numbers which had called the school in that
timeframe.
"We
have issued subpoenas for the names and we should have those back
in about 48 hours," Honaker said. "Once we get those, we
just have to weed through the six to see which were legitimate
calls."
Justus
noted that the past week has given school officials an opportunity
to more closely examine crisis management plans in place at each
school. With two bomb threats, a cyber bullying incident, the
phone call, the discovery of bullets in the classroom and a threat
made by a middle schooler toward other students, he said the
school system has utilized the plans.
"As
far as school disruption experiences, this has been the most
active time for use of the school crisis intervention plans in
that short a span of time in my long tenure with the school
system," Justus said.
"Certainly
school safety is our number one priority," he continued.
"Myself and other school officials have used the experience
to look at ways to improve our crisis plans overall. We have seen
some area to improve, including closer cooperation with the
sheriff's department."
Additionally,
Justus said it is likely the school system will amend its internet
use policy.
"I'm
pleased with all school officials for following the correct
protocol sent down by the school bard to deal with these
disruptive actions," Justus said.
|
