.22 Caliber Firearm Clip Found On Dudley School Bus
First Student Bus Company
In a letter sent out to students and parents of the Dudley-Charlton School Department on Thursday, Superintendent Gregg Desto made the public aware that he had been notified that a driver found an empty .22 caliber firearm clip in the glove compartment of a bus that had been transporting students to and from school.
Desto’s letter stated, “The item was immediately brought to my office where Dudley Police were waiting to investigate.” He says it is very important to note that this particular bus was a spare utilized by First Student bus company, not just for Dudley-Charlton Regional School District, but also for other schools, colleges and even chartered for private events or trips.
There is no indication of how long the clip was inside the bus or by who may have left it there, but “there is a strong likelihood that this had nothing to do with any of our students,” Desto’s letter continued.
Dudley-Charlton’s school district will continue to follow their normal safety protocols and take every possible precaution. All buses in both towns have been searched thoroughly and are ready to transport students safely tomorrow morning.
While there is truly no more reason for concern tomorrow than any other day, in order to provide an added layer of peace of mind for our students, staff and families, there will be an increased police presence in all of our schools tomorrow.
Mr. Desto concluded his message by saying, “We are all on edge lately in the wake of the recent tragedy in Parkland, Florida. I, too, am a parent, and I love and worry about my kids like anyone else. Partly because I am a fellow parent, I understand the need to notify you of this and any
other abnormal situation that affects our schools.” Desto says he is “extremely confident that we will have a safe and productive day of school tomorrow.”
To read the letter in its entirety click here.
This incident is also not related to the threat that is being investigated at Bay Path from Tuesday afternoon.