Crime & Safety

MVCS Principal Writes Second Letter Concerning BB Gun Incident

Principal Peter Balas says two soft-pellet BB guns were found on campus.

Principal Peter Balas sent a second letter home to parents on Thursday afternoon addressing that happened last week.

In the first letter Balas sent home Aug. 17, he wrote that a single student was found with a BB gun on the school’s playground that afternoon and that no students were injured.

Alexandria Police Department spokesperson Ashley Hildrebrandt told Patch later that day that “a kid handed out three Airsoft BB guns” to friends for a game. A female student was “hit accidentally” by a BB and reported the incident.

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Thursday’s letter from Balas offered a few more details.

“The BB gun was actually a soft pellet BB gun, which discharges white plastic pellets,” Balas wrote. “A total of two soft pellet guns were found on campus. One student discharged soft pellets in what a student described as a ‘game.’ Students violating school safety rules have been issued consequences. Any students reportedly hit with soft pellets have been examined by the school nurse, and families have all been contacted. We thank the Alexandria Police Department for their help in this investigation.”

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Balas went on to write that the school’s administration is reinforcing overall school safety to students and is making sure they know how to share their concerns with an adult when “something is not right.”

Balas said classroom discussions have been held and that all fourth- and fifth-grade students participated in an assembly about the incident.


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