Student brings gun to Upstate high school, slips it into another student’s backpack

A student brought a handgun to Riverside High School in Greer on Thursday, resulting in a lockdown for 1,300 students.

Greer Police Lt. Patrick N. Fortenberry said in a statement that a school resource officer was tipped off that a student had a handgun around 9:10 a.m.

The officer and school staff found the 14-year-old named by the tipster, who said they saw the gun. The 14-year old told officers the gun was in another student’s book bag.

“The second student was located, and the handgun was located inside of a ‘cinch bag’ that had been placed inside of his book bag,” Fortenberry said.

The student who brought the gun to school was charged as a juvenile with possession of a weapon on school grounds and unlawful carrying of a weapon, Fortenberry said.

The other student is not facing charges because he did not know what was inside the cinch sack, Fortenberry said.

“There is no clear indication at this time as to why the handgun was brought onto the school grounds. There was no specific threats from what we have been made aware of during our investigation into this incident,” Fortenberry said.

Tim Waller, spokesman for Greenville County schools, said, “All students involved in this incident will be disciplined according to district policy.”

Greenville County school policy calls for one-year expulsion for anyone having a firearm on campus.