Other districts may add armed security officers such as Granville has

You are currently viewing Other districts may add armed security officers such as Granville has

By Krystle S. Morey and Matthew Saari

Granville Central School is the sole district of the 22 in Washington County with a school resource officer but that may change in light of a school shooting that resulted in the death of 17 victims in South Florida last week.

Dave Williams is an armed police officer who patrols each of Granville’s three school buildings and the district office.

“It’s an enormous benefit,” said Granville school superintendent Tom McGurl.

A 19-year-old former student, Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire with an assault-style rifle last Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The 17 killed were a mix of students and teachers, including a football coach who died shielding students from the spray of bullets.  Another 15 were wounded.

Cruz pulled a fire alarm in the school, from which he had been expelled, to draw his victims into the hallways, officials said.

Further investigation revealed a troubled history and several “red flags” alluding to school shootings had been raised on Cruz’s social media accounts, suspicion among his peers and a number of domestic issues at his home.

Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida had an armed school resource officer on campus when the shooting occurred, but officials said he “never encountered Cruz.”

 

 

This is only a preview of the story published in the Whitehall Times. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.

This is only a preview of the story published in the Granville Sentinel. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.