02/18/04 — Metal detectors at school not related to attack

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Metal detectors at school not related to attack

By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 18, 2004 1:58 PM

Metal detectors were set up at the entrances to Spring Creek High School today, but officials say it was not in response to a girl being cut with a razor blade.

A 15-year-old girl was cut Tuesday with a razor blade at Spring Creek High School, and a 15-year-old girl was arrested by a Wayne County sheriff's deputy and detained on a felony charge.

The assault followed an on-going dispute between the girls, deputies said. The pair argued earlier Tuesday before the confrontation escalated to a fight, deputies said.

The victim was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released. The other girl was charged by Deputy Edwin Miller and taken to the Pitt County Juvenile Detention Center in Greenville.

Olivia Pierce, executive director for community relations with the school system, said that random checks with metal detectors are done across the county as a deterrent to students. The checks are generally scheduled at the last minute.

"We don't give advance notice because it kind of defeats the purpose," she said.

The metal detectors were purchased several years ago through the Safe and Orderly School program. Ms. Pierce said they have been used at ball games and other events.

She said the drug dogs were also at Spring Creek today, with one minor incident reported. A small amount of marijuana was reportedly found on a student, which she said is typical any time a random search is done.