DODGE COUNTY, Ga. — An 18-year-old student at Dodge County High School has been charged with threatening others with a gun on Tuesday, according to the Dodge County Sheriff's Office.
On May 9th, both Dodge County Middle and Dodge County High School in Eastman went on lockdown after a student was suspected to have a handgun in his bookbag.
Sheriff Brian Robinson's news release says 18-year-old Mackell T. Whitman was approached by a school resource officer and the school administration team about the report that he had a gun.
According to the sheriff, Whitman was initially cooperative with the administrators before walking away. The deputy asked him to stop. Whitman allegedly ran away and kept reaching into the waistband area as he left the building. He tried to come back into the school but was unsuccessful.
Both schools were placed on lockdown out of precaution. Whitman ran away from the school and to Harvey's Supermarket near the school.
Harvey's was evacuated and an SRT team entered and took Whitman into custody in the store's bathroom.
No firearm was found on Whitman but he did have marijuana in his bookbag, the release says. They searched Harvey's, the school and a large field nearby using search dogs on Tuesday and Wednesday. Investigators did not find the gun.
No shots were fired at the school, but several students told investigators that Whitman was showing them that he might have a gun in his bag. The students reported Whitman and said he was threatening them, according to the sheriff.
According to Robinson, Whitman was arrested and charged with terroristic threats and acts, obstruction of an officer and disruption of public schools.