NEWTON COUNTY – A group of Newton High School students have been arrested on multiple gun-related charges after officers say they brought firearms to the school.
The incident occurred on April 15 at approximately noon, where officers with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) responded to a call from administrators from Newton High School. Upon arrival, a loaded extended magazine was found on one of the teen’s persons.
When looking at the student’s cell phone, video evidence was found of two students holding firearms, one of which matched the magazine that was previously located.
Following this, the school was placed on lockdown and the Board of Education and supervisors were notified while officers identified the second student within the building as well as the firearm matching the description of the video evidence.
In total, three students were placed under arrest.
Devin Demarco Pettis, 18, was charged with two counts of weapons on school safety zones, school building or grounds or at school function, four counts of theft by receiving stolen property, two counts of possession of firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to certain, one count of unlawful sales;unlawful purchases and one count of disrupting public schools.
Diamond D’Asia Leray Gunn, 17, was charged with two counts of weapons on school safety zones, school building on grounds or at school function and one count of disrupting public schools.
Another unidentified juvenile was charged with four counts of theft by receiving stolen property and one count of disrupting public schools.
All three were transferred to the NCSO and the Rockdale Youth Detention Center.
Officers say that no one was harmed during the incident and that the lockdown was lifted at approximately 2:30 p.m.
The Newton County School System declined to comment further, citing that the incident is currently under investigation by law enforcement.