Lowellville Superintendent: amped up protocols paid off after spotting child with gun
LOWELLVILLE, Ohio - Lowellville local school district witnessed firsthand how the k-12 building's amped-up safety measures are working.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Christine Sawicki said she found a gun in a third grader's backpack as the child walked through the school doors and it was weapon detectors that alerted staff.
After a self-inflicted Lowellville shooting in 2022, the tragedy sparked new safety protocols that are proving to be effective, Sawicki said.
She said a $30 thousand dollar investment of new equipment in Lowellville schools is providing some peace of mind after Sawicki said staff was able to quickly confiscate the firearm Tuesday in a student's bag after the detector screened the student.
The new systems took priority when she became superintendent, weeks after a Lowellville student died from a self-inflicted shooting in the school cafeteria, she said.
Prior to the tragedy, there was no weapon detection, but the district now uses two detectors that track all weapons as all students walk through the doors, and result in an immediate search if an alert goes off.
She added the district researched and tested the equipment and is confident it will screen all weapons.
While the investigation is ongoing as to how a third grader had access to a gun Tuesday, authorities have previously reported no indication the child intended to cause harm.
Mahoning County's Juvenile Prosecutor has charged a woman Wednesday in connection to Tuesday's incident. Jessica Wolfe is charged with endangering children, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
