Teen Charged in SDOC School Bus Firearm Incident

On Wednesday, a 15-year-old male was detained by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office as part of an ongoing investigation into reports of the student carrying a firearm on a school bus. The teenager is facing charges of Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm, Making Student Threats, and Possessing a Weapon on School Property.

A Juvenile Referral Packet, equivalent to an affidavit in adult cases, will be completed and submitted to Family Court. The teenager is being transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Columbia. The investigation began on Monday when a School Resource Officer was notified about a student possibly possessing a firearm on a school bus. The student was informed that he was not allowed to attend school until the investigation concluded.

Further investigation by the School Safety Unit of the Criminal Investigation Bureau revealed that the teenager had made threats to students on the bus while possessing the firearm, which is considered school property and is prohibited.

Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw explained that “A Juvenile Referral Packet is the equivalent of an affidavit that is typed up by a law enforcement officer in an investigation involving an adult, in which arrest warrants are being sought in a criminal investigation”. He emphasized that “The safety of our students, teachers, administrators, and employees of our schools is, and remains, our number one priority.”

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation. However, due to the teenager being a minor, no further information can be released that could potentially identify him.