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We may want to keep an eye on this one. Sounds like further gun / hunting restrictions may be brewing in York County.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_shotsfired_0913sep13,0,2596263.story
Hunters near York school prompt gunfire alert
They were firing away from Mount Vernon Elementary on adjacent land, the principal says.
By JENNIFER L. WILLIAMS | 247-4644
September 13, 2008
YORK -
— Students and staff were hustled indoors from the playground at Mount Vernon Elementary School after hearing gunshots Thursday.
The York/Poquoson Sheriff's Office was called, arrived, checked around and found hunters next door shooting at doves.
School Principal Barbara Wood was told by deputies that the hunters had permission to hunt on the property adjacent to the school.
They also assured her that "the hunters were aware of the location of the school and that they were shooting their firearms away from school grounds," according to a letter Wood sent home to parents Thursday, informing them of the incident.
The school is on the east side of Route 17, north of its intersection with Victory Boulevard.
It's in a residential neighborhood, with undeveloped land to its east.
"The safety of the children was first, and the teachers were very much in control of bringing the classes in from the playground," Wood said Friday.
"I knew Mount Vernon was prepared because we've talked about this type of thing before," she said.
"So we just went through our routine of keeping everybody safe."
The land adjacent to the school is owned by a private party that allows hunting on the property, schools spokeswoman Betsy Overkamp-Smith said.
York County spokeswoman Christie Phillips confirmed that hunting at that particular location was allowed.
"The way county regulations are currently structured, the discharge of firearms is prohibited within 300 feet of certain named subdivisions within the county," Phillips said.
"One is Plantation Acres, which is right adjacent to that property.
"But the actual property on which they are allegedly shooting has no other firearms prohibitions on it."
Wood, in her third year as Mount Vernon's principal, and said nothing similar occurred in the past.
In the letter to parents, the principal said, "We have no information to indicate that students and staff were in any danger at any time."
After about 20 minutes with everybody locked in the school Thursday, Wood received an all-clear from deputies and allowed students and staff to go outside.
She explained to them what occurred and that "additional gunshots might be heard during hunting season."
Dove hunting season in Virginia started Sept. 1 and ends Sept. 27, and it's permitted from noon to sunset.
It also runs Oct. 4 to 31 and Dec. 27 to Jan. 10.
"I assured students that their safety is of utmost importance and that, while in our care, we will do everything we can to keep them safe," Wood wrote to parents.
School division officials are concerned about the proximity of hunting to the school.
"Yesterday's incidents were very troubling to us, and we're working in collaboration with the sheriff's department to take a total look at this situation," Carl James, chief operations officer for York County schools, said Friday.
"We're researching the ordinance. And once we finish our research, then we can make a more informed decision as a school division about how we approach these issues in the future," James said.
"Our primary concern is, and always will be, student safety."
Thursday's shooting didn't go on continuously, Wood said, and it couldn't be heard in the school.
But as of Friday afternoon, a handful of parents had contacted her regarding the incident.
"We're relieved it was just hunters," she said, "but we're still always concerned about the safety of the students."
We may want to keep an eye on this one. Sounds like further gun / hunting restrictions may be brewing in York County.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_shotsfired_0913sep13,0,2596263.story
Hunters near York school prompt gunfire alert
They were firing away from Mount Vernon Elementary on adjacent land, the principal says.
By JENNIFER L. WILLIAMS | 247-4644
September 13, 2008
YORK -
— Students and staff were hustled indoors from the playground at Mount Vernon Elementary School after hearing gunshots Thursday.
The York/Poquoson Sheriff's Office was called, arrived, checked around and found hunters next door shooting at doves.
School Principal Barbara Wood was told by deputies that the hunters had permission to hunt on the property adjacent to the school.
They also assured her that "the hunters were aware of the location of the school and that they were shooting their firearms away from school grounds," according to a letter Wood sent home to parents Thursday, informing them of the incident.
The school is on the east side of Route 17, north of its intersection with Victory Boulevard.
It's in a residential neighborhood, with undeveloped land to its east.
"The safety of the children was first, and the teachers were very much in control of bringing the classes in from the playground," Wood said Friday.
"I knew Mount Vernon was prepared because we've talked about this type of thing before," she said.
"So we just went through our routine of keeping everybody safe."
The land adjacent to the school is owned by a private party that allows hunting on the property, schools spokeswoman Betsy Overkamp-Smith said.
York County spokeswoman Christie Phillips confirmed that hunting at that particular location was allowed.
"The way county regulations are currently structured, the discharge of firearms is prohibited within 300 feet of certain named subdivisions within the county," Phillips said.
"One is Plantation Acres, which is right adjacent to that property.
"But the actual property on which they are allegedly shooting has no other firearms prohibitions on it."
Wood, in her third year as Mount Vernon's principal, and said nothing similar occurred in the past.
In the letter to parents, the principal said, "We have no information to indicate that students and staff were in any danger at any time."
After about 20 minutes with everybody locked in the school Thursday, Wood received an all-clear from deputies and allowed students and staff to go outside.
She explained to them what occurred and that "additional gunshots might be heard during hunting season."
Dove hunting season in Virginia started Sept. 1 and ends Sept. 27, and it's permitted from noon to sunset.
It also runs Oct. 4 to 31 and Dec. 27 to Jan. 10.
"I assured students that their safety is of utmost importance and that, while in our care, we will do everything we can to keep them safe," Wood wrote to parents.
School division officials are concerned about the proximity of hunting to the school.
"Yesterday's incidents were very troubling to us, and we're working in collaboration with the sheriff's department to take a total look at this situation," Carl James, chief operations officer for York County schools, said Friday.
"We're researching the ordinance. And once we finish our research, then we can make a more informed decision as a school division about how we approach these issues in the future," James said.
"Our primary concern is, and always will be, student safety."
Thursday's shooting didn't go on continuously, Wood said, and it couldn't be heard in the school.
But as of Friday afternoon, a handful of parents had contacted her regarding the incident.
"We're relieved it was just hunters," she said, "but we're still always concerned about the safety of the students."