IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — A suspect is in custody after a potential threat to Iredell-Statesville School District was reported to the Iredell County Sheriff's Office Friday. Later in the day, deputies revealed an 18-year-old had brought a high-powered rifle onto the campus of West Iredell High School.
The sheriff's office said they were told that Austin Lee Thomas was driving to the school with the gun. Deputies responded and helped school security staff sweep the campus, but found Thomas wasn't there.
However, a review of surveillance footage found that Thomas' truck had left campus just before deputies arrived. Eventually, the sheriff's office said Thomas was located as he drove south on I-77 to Mooresville. After a traffic stop, he was taken into custody.
Thomas is now charged with felony possession of a firearm on an educational property. He also faces marijuana charges; deputies said they found marijuana and associated paraphernalia inside during their traffic stop.
Thomas appeared before a magistrate and was issued a $3,000 secured bond.
The potential threat prompted officials to place schools nearby on a security alert.
"Thanks to quick actions from deputies and coordinated responses the matter was resolved within 46 minutes from the initial call to the suspect in custody," the sheriff's posted in its app.
This incident comes on the heels of a few issues with the district. In October 2023, a Statesville High School home game against West Iredell High School was canceled and safely evacuated on Oct. 6 following a "threat of mass violence" and multiple different arrests, according to the Statesville Police Department and Iredell-Statesville Schools.
Shortly after arresting several people for drug and weapon possession charges, the police department was made aware of a "threat of mass violence and the decision was made, in collaboration with school officials," to clear the stadium, a spokesperson for Iredell-Statesville Schools said in a statement.
That same month, a Mooresville man was charged with making threats to four Iredell County schools, including West Iredell High School, Lake Norman High School, The Brawley School, and Lakeshore Middle School.
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