Montgomery County Police 6th District officers and the Educational Facilities Officer for the Watkins Mill School Cluster investigated an incident involving a middle school student in possession of a pellet gun as he was riding a school bus to Montgomery Village Middle School in Montgomery Village.

Wednesday, October 4, at approximately 7:53 a.m., a 13-year-old student from Montgomery Village was riding a school bus when he took out a pellet gun and shot it out of a bus window while students were walking to school, but no one was hit. He then shot the gun inside the school bus. A 12-year-old boy was hit in the neck, but was not seriously injured. When the 13-year-old realized that a student had been hit, he handed the gun over to another student to hold.

The bus driver immediately drove to the school, using a radio to inform officials that there was a pellet gun on the bus. The bus was met by school administrators and school security staff. The student holding the gun handed it over to administrators as soon as the bus arrived at school. The school security staff detained the student who had shot the pellet gun until police arrived.

Through the course of the investigation, it was learned that the student had seen a pellet gun advertised on the internet and ordered it. The student believed he would “look cool” if other students saw that he had a gun.

The 13-year-old was charged as a juvenile with disturbing school operations, second-degree assault, and having a weapon on school property. The student was released to a family member. The student who was struck was examined by a school health technician who confirmed that the injury was not serious.

Montgomery County Police want to remind all students and parents that BB guns and pellet guns should never be aimed at people and/or brought to school. There are very serious consequences for this type of offense. Parents who know that their children possess these types of guns should set very definite guidelines for when, how, and where they can be used.

» Return to Press Releases