Suspect Arrested After Firing Shots Outside West Charlotte High School

A student was arrested after allegedly firing gunshots—which did not injure anyone—outside West Charlotte High School on Monday.

Police were called to the campus, on Senior Drive south of I-85, around 2:15 p.m.

Citizen users shared video of police vehicles on scene.

Officials held a Monday afternoon press conference near the school.

Two students got into a fight over a backpack. One student pulled out a gun and fired shots, police said.

The shooting took place on school grounds, but outside of school buildings. No one was injured in the gunfire.

Medics did inspect one person, but they had not been shot, police said.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said several people were apprehended and interviewed.

One student was later arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. They were "determined to be the sole suspect involved," CMPD officials said.

According to [WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/), students will not attend school in person on Tuesday "out of concern for student and staff emotional health."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston said CMS has safety measures in place and is considering additional options after about two dozen firearms were found in schools this year.

Superintendent Winston asked parents to speak with their children and consider checking their backpacks.

He said CMS plans to require transparent backpacks for high school students. CMS expects delivery of those backpacks by February.

He also said CMS plans to release an anonymous reporting app for students to share concerns. He noted a task force is considering additional changes for school safety. He released a [statement](https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/superintendent/Pages/Notes.aspx) earlier in December on the topic of school safety.

A student was arrested after allegedly firing gunshots—which did not injure anyone—outside West Charlotte High School on Monday.

Police were called to the campus, on Senior Drive south of I-85, around 2:15 p.m.

Citizen users shared video of police vehicles on scene.

Officials held a Monday afternoon press conference near the school.

Two students got into a fight over a backpack. One student pulled out a gun and fired shots, police said.

The shooting took place on school grounds, but outside of school buildings. No one was injured in the gunfire.

Medics did inspect one person, but they had not been shot, police said.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said several people were apprehended and interviewed.

One student was later arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. They were "determined to be the sole suspect involved," CMPD officials said.

According to [WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/), students will not attend school in person on Tuesday "out of concern for student and staff emotional health."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston said CMS has safety measures in place and is considering additional options after about two dozen firearms were found in schools this year.

Superintendent Winston asked parents to speak with their children and consider checking their backpacks.

He said CMS plans to require transparent backpacks for high school students. CMS expects delivery of those backpacks by February.

He also said CMS plans to release an anonymous reporting app for students to share concerns. He noted a task force is considering additional changes for school safety. He released a [statement](https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/superintendent/Pages/Notes.aspx) earlier in December on the topic of school safety.

A student was arrested after allegedly firing gunshots—which did not injure anyone—outside West Charlotte High School on Monday.

Police were called to the campus, on Senior Drive south of I-85, around 2:15 p.m.

Citizen users shared video of police vehicles on scene.

Officials held a Monday afternoon press conference near the school.

Two students got into a fight over a backpack. One student pulled out a gun and fired shots, police said.

The shooting took place on school grounds, but outside of school buildings. No one was injured in the gunfire.

Medics did inspect one person, but they had not been shot, police said.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said several people were apprehended and interviewed.

One student was later arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. They were "determined to be the sole suspect involved," CMPD officials said.

According to [WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/), students will not attend school in person on Tuesday "out of concern for student and staff emotional health."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston said CMS has safety measures in place and is considering additional options after about two dozen firearms were found in schools this year.

Superintendent Winston asked parents to speak with their children and consider checking their backpacks.

He said CMS plans to require transparent backpacks for high school students. CMS expects delivery of those backpacks by February.

He also said CMS plans to release an anonymous reporting app for students to share concerns. He noted a task force is considering additional changes for school safety. He released a [statement](https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/superintendent/Pages/Notes.aspx) earlier in December on the topic of school safety.

A student was arrested after allegedly firing gunshots—which did not injure anyone—outside West Charlotte High School on Monday.

Police were called to the campus, on Senior Drive south of I-85, around 2:15 p.m.

Citizen users shared video of police vehicles on scene.

Officials held a Monday afternoon press conference near the school.

Two students got into a fight over a backpack. One student pulled out a gun and fired shots, police said.

The shooting took place on school grounds, but outside of school buildings. No one was injured in the gunfire.

Medics did inspect one person, but they had not been shot, police said.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said several people were apprehended and interviewed.

One student was later arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. They were "determined to be the sole suspect involved," CMPD officials said.

According to [WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/), students will not attend school in person on Tuesday "out of concern for student and staff emotional health."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston said CMS has safety measures in place and is considering additional options after about two dozen firearms were found in schools this year.

Superintendent Winston asked parents to speak with their children and consider checking their backpacks.

He said CMS plans to require transparent backpacks for high school students. CMS expects delivery of those backpacks by February.

He also said CMS plans to release an anonymous reporting app for students to share concerns. He noted a task force is considering additional changes for school safety. He released a [statement](https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/superintendent/Pages/Notes.aspx) earlier in December on the topic of school safety.

A student was arrested after allegedly firing gunshots—which did not injure anyone—outside West Charlotte High School on Monday.

Police were called to the campus, on Senior Drive south of I-85, around 2:15 p.m.

Citizen users shared video of police vehicles on scene.

Officials held a Monday afternoon press conference near the school.

Two students got into a fight over a backpack. One student pulled out a gun and fired shots, police said.

The shooting took place on school grounds, but outside of school buildings. No one was injured in the gunfire.

Medics did inspect one person, but they had not been shot, police said.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said several people were apprehended and interviewed.

One student was later arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds. They were "determined to be the sole suspect involved," CMPD officials said.

According to [WBTV](https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/), students will not attend school in person on Tuesday "out of concern for student and staff emotional health."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston said CMS has safety measures in place and is considering additional options after about two dozen firearms were found in schools this year.

Superintendent Winston asked parents to speak with their children and consider checking their backpacks.

He said CMS plans to require transparent backpacks for high school students. CMS expects delivery of those backpacks by February.

He also said CMS plans to release an anonymous reporting app for students to share concerns. He noted a task force is considering additional changes for school safety. He released a [statement](https://www.cms.k12.nc.us/superintendent/Pages/Notes.aspx) earlier in December on the topic of school safety.