Student Had Gun on School Grounds
Police descended on a local high school when administrators found a gun on the campus, according to WSB-TV 2 Atlanta. One of the students of Pebblebrook High School had the gun in his possession when school staff found the weapon on Wednesday, August 10. Extra police personnel arrived at the school and patrolled the area for any other active shooter suspects. The student who had the gun in his possession is now in police custody.
School on Lockdown for Hours
A fellow student of Pebblebrook High noticed that one of the other students had a gun in his possession and notified school authorities. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that school administrators placed the school on lockdown when they learned of the possibility of a school shooting. Students were instructed to stay where they were for their first period classes until further notice from school officials. These students remained in place for over two hours while awaiting further instructions. School officials say that the lengthy lockdown was not necessary but the result of a technical problem. The school also alerted parents about the incident, which spread concern and panic through the community. Some parents wished that the school had notified them sooner so that they could have picked their children up from school or contacted them to make sure they were safe.
Negligent Security Lawsuits Hold Operator Liable for Injuries on Site
It seems that some parents felt the school didn’t do the right thing for the safety of their kids. In this situation, there’s no report that anyone suffered any injuries. But with school shootings on the rise throughout the country, administrators are under pressure to respond quickly and competently to any unforeseen security problem. From a legal standpoint, one question that arises is whether school administrators and their school districts might be liable for injuries to students that result from improper security practices.
A negligent security lawsuit is a lawsuit which argues that the person in charge of a building or property failed to take reasonable steps to prevent injury to its visitors or occupants, and that this failure led to injuries. At least one state university in Atlanta has already become the defendant of a negligent security lawsuit. Like state universities, school districts are specialized subdivisions of the state government.
Schools May Be Liable for Negligent Security
Like other state agencies, they are usually immune from lawsuits as long as they are following the law and standard procedure. But in some cases where the school officials fail to follow non-discretionary procedures, they may become liable in a lawsuit. For example, the Department of Homeland Security recommends that schools and places of worship instruct their occupants to shelter in place in the event of an active shooter emergency. If a school were to instruct students to evacuate instead, and this led to injuries, the school might be liable in a negligent security lawsuit.
Get Legal Help
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury on the premises of a business or government agency, you should reach out to a skilled lawyer for help. Get in touch with a premises liability attorney at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter in Cobb County today to get the help you need.
