From the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

On Feb. 2, 2015, at approximately 3:48 p.m. the School Resource Officer assigned to Washington High School received a report of a weapon offense that occurred on the school campus earlier that day. The victim reported that another student shot him with an Airsoft BB gun. The victim was struck in the leg. The School Resource Officer later learned of an additional victim. That information was reported Monday evening by another student and corroborated after a review of the school’s video surveillance system. After gathering statements, reviewing surveillance footage and examining other evidence, Deputy Javier Meza obtained a warrant charging 16-year-old Evan Spencer, 1604 W. Beargrass Road, Williamston, with possessing a weapon on school property, disorderly conduct and simple assault.

Deputy Meza and Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to Spencer’s residence Monday night to serve the warrants. Spencer was arrested and confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $5,000 secured bond set by Magistrate Donald Sadler. The weapon used in the incident was recovered by the Washington Police Department during an unrelated incident.

Sheriff Ernie Coleman stated, “This incident could have turned into a tragedy. If the School Resource Officer or another Law Enforcement Officer would have come upon the suspect during the incident, the Officer would have had to use whatever force was necessary to stop the threat. Up to and including deadly force. This young man made a bad mistake, a mistake that he could have paid for with his life.”