School safety is once again at the forefront following two incidents at Triangle schools in the past 48 hours.
On Thursday afternoon at 3:45, administrators at South Garner High School alerted Garner Police of a report of a student with a loaded firearm. Authorities detained 18-year-old Rico Owens, who school officials said was found with a stolen, loaded handgun and narcotics. Authorities said they did not believe there was any further threat to the school, and nobody was injured.
Owens was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on educational property, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of narcotics.
On Friday, in an e-mail to parents, Sanderson High acknowledged an altercation in the bus parking lot around 1 p.m. that involved at least five students and an adult trespasser. Some of the students used mace and a Taser during the altercation, which was broken up by school staff, a school resource officer, and Raleigh Police. EMS responded and treated students for minor injuries, though nobody was taken to the hospital.