Bullets discovered in school bathroom

Eastwood High School locked down

3/9/2013

PEMBERVILLE, Ohio — A search of Eastwood High School by Wood County sheriff's deputies after ammunition was found in a boys’ bathroom did not result in additional rounds or weapons being found.

“We are very happy that no weapons were found of any kind in the school,” said Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, who was present at the school during the search Friday.

Several 22-caliber shells and 9mm rounds were found about 7:45 a.m. in the bathroom, and led to a subsequent lockdown of the building. The lockdown was lifted about 11:30 a.m.

Sheriff Wasylyshyn said deputies were unable to find the source of the ammunition, adding that it could have been left in the bathroom from the night before.

Superintendent Brent Welker said a student found the rounds and immediately reported it to school officials, who called the sheriff’s office after determining that it was live ammunition.

“Obviously we are concerned about how it got in the building. But kids bring their backpacks to school every day. We don’t have metal detectors and it is not our intention to have metal detectors,” he said.

Mr. Welker praised students, teachers, and staff for their patience during the nearly 3½ hours the school was locked down, the first in school history.

“I think things went as well as could be expected,” he said.