VERNAL, Utah — Administrators in the Uintah School District said their response to a middle school student bringing a gun to school grounds went right, and because of that, everyone went home safely.
Thursday at the start of school at Vernal Middle School, a student was caught with both a gun and ammunition on school grounds. In a press release, the Vernal Police Department said the student "had a plan" and a "specific target."
"We had information that was brought forward to administration at the onset of school that there was a student that was in possession of a weapon on campus," said Dean Wilson, the director of student services and special education for the school district. "The second information was brought forward, they acted with immediacy."
He said that quick action and a trust between students and their school resource officer is why things worked out so well in this potentially tragic situation.
"The fact that we had the right information at the right time with the right school resource officer and the right protocol ensured that the students and every student went home safe," Wilson told FOX 13 News. "The best way to mitigate a bad event is through positive relationships with students. The fact that they feel comfortable enough disclosing, that’s something we want to highlight."
He suggested all parents talk to their kids about being aware of their fellow students — and if they see something they should say something to a trusted adult. He also suggested all parents and students download the SafeUT app to their phones and become familiar with the resources available there.
"That’s going to give the right information at the right time, and it can be done in an anonymous manner," Wilson said.
Wilson said schools in the Uintah District have trained in recent months on what to do in this exact situation. He believes this proactive approach is what will continue to keep their students safe.
"This is as close as it can get, and we are grateful beyond belief that every student went home and that our resource officers and administration took the actions that they took," he said.
