- March 27, 2024
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Travis Williams, a 13-year old Indian Trails Middle School student, was arrested Thursday, March 24 for bringing a .40-caliber Springfield Armory handgun to school, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office report.
Williams was charged with two felonies: possession of a concealed weapon on a school campus and possession of a concealed weapon. According to School Board Chairwoman Sue Dickinson, this is the first time an incident like this has occurred in Flagler County.
Lori Scarpi, William’s seventh-grade language arts teacher, said she didn’t have any problems with him in the classroom.
“He was one of my kids that I was really working with,” she said. “I’ve been at Indian Trails about six years and nothing like (this) has ever happened … When he was in my classroom, he did a good job.”
According to reports, Indian Trails Principal Vernon Orndorff received a phone call from an anonymous parent at 3:15 p.m. the day of the incident, alleging that Williams had pulled a gun from his backpack to show other students at the Indian Trails Sports Complex. Deputies reported that Williams admitted to having an argument with another student and threatened to fight him Thursday, at the park.
Williams did not disclose how he came into possession of the gun. His mother said she does not keeping firearms in the home.
“We are grateful that an alert parent contacted the school officials and we were able to intercede before this incident turned into something far worse,” Sheriff Donald W. Fleming said.
Upon being confronted by Orndorff and the deputy, Williams denied having a weapon, but he revealed it after another student told authorities Williams’ backpack was behind school, in the woods. The gun was not loaded, but a full magazine was also found inside Williams’ bag.
A follow-up report confirmed that Williams was under a three-day school suspension for disruptive behavior — including suspension from basketball practice — and was not supposed to be on campus grounds. The deputy found Williams near the school gym, where he allegedly planned to practice with the basketball team.
According to Dickinson, the district has a strict zero-tolerance policy when it comes to weapons, and Williams could be expelled.