By Jon Johnson
jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com (mailto:jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com)
SOLOMON — On Aug. 27, Solomon Elementary School and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office addressed a reported BB gun threat involving two second-grade students.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a student found a BB near backpacks and asked another student if it was his. The student allegedly claimed ownership, saying that he also had a BB gun in his backpack and threatened to shoot the girl if she told anyone. The incident came to light when the victim’s parents informed the school after their daughter reported it at home.
Principal Travis Masten interviewed the accused student, who reportedly admitted to making the threat. The school then promptly notified law enforcement. A Sheriff’s deputy investigated, interviewing both students. The accused student initially denied the threat but later admitted to it, promising not to repeat such behavior or lie about it in the future. No weapon or suspicious backpack was found, confirming the student had no access to firearms.
The Sheriff’s Office left disciplinary measures up to the school. Citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Masten declined to specify actions taken but emphasized the school’s zero-tolerance policy for weapons.
“We have a zero tolerance policy for any weapon on campus and take such matters very seriously,” Masten said in an e-mail to the Gila Herald. “In the cited case, no weapon or backpack was found. It is my wish as you move forward with this story that you understand that this is an isolated incident and that Solomon Elementary School is doing great things to engage students here . . . As with all public schools, we have safety protocols in place, and the safety of all students and staff is our highest priority.”
Editor’s Note: The initial post of this article stated the victim reported seeing a BB gun by the backpacks when she had only seen loose BB ammunition, with the boy advising that the gun was inside the backpack. The article has been updated.
