Student finds gun in school staff bathroom
By WGAL
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WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — An 18-year-old student at Washington High School in Pennsylvania found a gun in a staff bathroom earlier this month, prompting questions about school safety and communication.
Lucas McCarthy said he had asked a staff member for a key to use the staff bathroom, where he discovered the gun lying on the ground.
“I looked down and I saw the gun just lying there. I didn’t touch it or anything, trying to stay calm because I know a lot of people get fast reactions and nervous anxiety, so I kind of kept it calm,” McCarthy said.
The gun was later determined to belong to a school resource officer. McCarthy immediately alerted the same staff member who had given him the key and then informed his mother.
McCarthy’s mother expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the school district following the incident.
“From that point on, I just kind of waited, thinking the school was gonna call. I got nothing. It would’ve been nice to get a call from the superintendent or, you know, I haven’t been spoken to, or they could’ve said, you know, put out a call to the parents. This is what happened,” Mary Jane Vasko said.
She also questioned how the gun could have gone unnoticed.
“Everybody is human, we all make mistakes. We don’t understand how that hits the ground,” Vasko said.
I hear my phone when it drops, it’s obvious. I don’t know how you don’t hear a 5-pound gun,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy’s mother also expressed concerns about the officer’s continued presence at the school.
“I don’t think that that particular officer should be at the school anymore. I don’t wanna see anybody’s life be ruined, but the repercussions of what could’ve happened could’ve ruined multiple lives,” Vasko said.
The school district released a statement addressing the incident.
“We take the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously. We are reviewing our procedures and reinforcing expectations with all staff,” the statement said.
The district added that “appropriate disciplinary action has been taken in accordance with district policies” and emphasized its commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment.
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