ABC 33/40 has identified multiple incidents over the past year and a half involving students bringing guns onto school campuses across Central Alabama.
A review of past reporting found eight separate cases since the start of 2025, spanning elementary, middle, and high schools in several counties.
Timeline of incidents
- Jan. 9, 2025 — Calera Middle School (Shelby Co.) Student found with gun
- Jan. 30, 2025 — Pinson Valley High School (Jefferson Co.) Firearm confiscated from student
- Feb. 21, 2025 — Gordo High School (Pickens Co.) Gun found in student’s waistband
- May 13, 2025 — Mount Olive Elementary School (Jefferson Co.) Firearm found on campus
- Oct. 7, 2025 — Springville High School (St. Clair Co.) Student had handgun in backpack
- Nov. 21, 2025 — Montevallo High School (Shelby Co.) Weapon found
- Jan. 12, 2026 — McAdory High School (Jefferson Co.) Student found with firearm
- April 16, 2026 — Minor Middle School (Jefferson Co.) Two firearms found in student’s bag
ABC 33/40 reached out to the Alabama State Department of Education asking:
- How many incidents involving weapons have been reported on school campuses statewide this school year?
- Any available breakdown by school level
- How students are disciplined when found with a weapon on campus?
- Whether students are allowed to return to school, and under what conditions
- What safety procedures or policy changes are being considered or implemented?
A spokesperson for the Alabama State Department of Education responded saying,
…the information you are requesting would take a while to compile, and it wouldn’t be for the current year. Student Incident reports are submitted to the ALSDE but are collected a year in arears so what we have available now would be from last year. Also, that would take a considerable amount of coordination with our Prevention and Support department that collects information…