ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A little over a week ago, parents at the Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy, an elementary school in Alexandria, got an email that a student accidentally brought a loaded gun to the school.
“I was shocked, I was terrified,” said parent Silda Nikaj.
As shocking as it was for Nikaj, it is the second time this year it’s happened in a Virginia school. She said the email on March 1 aboust the incident made her heart drop.
“I was scared that something happened to the kids,” she said.
Police said the student brought the loaded gun by accident, and that they, and the school, were investigating.
That was 10 days ago.
“At this point we know as much from what has happened as was provided in the first email,” Nikaj said.
Nikaj said she has seen no updates from the investigation or any new security measures from the school.
“There’s certainly legislative fixes that could actually take place,” Nikaj said.
WUSA9 reached out to Alexandria City Public Schools and got this response from the Chief of School and Community Relations, Julia Burgos.
"We appreciate our community's concerns regarding school safety. Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has a number of security measures that are implemented at our elementary schools. Security measures include access control systems, security cameras, secure entrance vestibules and a visitor management system for all persons who are looking to enter our schools. For entry into schools, identification is required for all staff and visitors. In addition, all staff are regularly required to participate in safety trainings and drills to prepare for crisis events.
As part of our continuous improvement efforts, ACPS is reviewing options for additional security measures at the elementary school level. We will share more information on additional considerations, once we have conferred with key stakeholders and the School Board. Safety remains our division’s top priority, and leadership will be reinforcing with staff the importance of immediately reporting any potentially dangerous or threatening conduct, in order to ensure that we are taking appropriate precautions moving forward."
Fairfax County State Senator Jennifer Boysko introduced a bill on safe gun storage to the Virginia General Assembly.
“It requires that anyone who has a child in the home or (any person) who is not allowed to have a gun, the owner has to lock up the gun,” Boysko said.
In a situation like the Lyles Crouch gun incident, the parent or guardian would face a fine.
Boysko’s bill passed the General Assembly, and is now Gov. Glenn Youngkin's desk.
“He has been completely silent on issues like this,” Boysko said. “I am hopeful he will sign it.
When asked what the plan was for the bill, Youngkin’s team sent this response to WUSA9:
"Virginia's gun laws are already among the toughest in the nation and Governor Youngkin continues to pursue policies to hold criminals that commit crimes with guns accountable by strengthening penalties to effectively keep criminals off the streets and Virginians safe. The Governor is reviewing the legislation that has been delivered to his desk."
As for Nikaj, she says she's left frustrated with what she sees as inaction on gun safety in Virginia.
“[We parents] are going around saying, ‘Thank God something horrible did not happen,'" Nikaj said. "But the thing is, that could have happened and since nothing has changed it could happen again.”
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