Gleason police: Student expelled for hit list, employee arrested for bringing gun
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GLEASON, Tenn. — Gleason School took action after a student reportedly made a hit list to target other students, faculty and family members, according to school officials. Days later, a school employee was arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school. Police said Gleason School students were threatened by a fellow high-schooler. “There was allegedly a hit list that he had compiled with several names of people that he was going to injure,” Gleason Police Chief Jeff Hazelwood said. Parents said they were not notified until a day later through a letter sent home with students. Some are concerned they were not told sooner. “The kid could have been mad or upset and could have done something that next day. I think we should have known when it happened,” parent Robin Witten said. Chief Hazelwood said they also responded to another incident at the school Monday morning, this time for their cafeteria manager. “It was reported that an employee had brought a loaded handgun into the building,” Chief Hazelwood said. The chief said she told him it was to protect herself, but he said it is important to take every threat seriously. “We all know a lot of times people that are employees inside a work place are the very people that make bad decisions, and people get hurt,” Hazelwood said. Parents say this is the first time they have heard of anything happening at this school. “It’s just a great all-around school. I’ve never had any problems with any dealings with anybody there,” Demetra Akers said. For Witten, these threats continue to concern her. “I can’t quit thinking about what we could do,” Witten said, “to make it safer for them.” School officials have not responded to our messages, but according to Hazelwood, the juvenile has been expelled from Weakley County Schools. He also said the school employee is facing a charge of carrying a weapon on school property.
