School Safety: Two Firearms Found in DMV Campuses

Parents in the Washington metropolitan area received notice of two separate security incidents within the last seven days. These events involved firearms located on school property in Virginia and the District of Columbia.

On October 26, a loaded handgun was recovered from the parking lot of a Manassas Park City middle school. The discovery led to the closure of all four public schools in the city for that day. Court records indicate that Veronica Gooch-Ray, a 31-year-old art teacher at Manassas Park High School, admitted to dropping the weapon on Saturday. She stated she was moving her belongings to a private vehicle and did not notice the missing item until a colleague found it on Monday morning.

Gooch-Ray faces a felony charge for possessing a firearm on school property. She was released on bail and placed on administrative leave. Police records show she has no prior criminal history, though the documents do not specify the reason for her gun ownership. She is scheduled for a future court appearance.

In the District of Columbia, a different scenario unfolded on October 29 at KIPP Academy in the Shaw neighborhood. A teacher discovered a loaded 9mm Glock pistol inside a box of Halloween candy intended for young students. School officials confirmed that no students touched the firearm before it was handed to police. Investigators are currently working to determine how the gun entered the box.

William Lee, a parent at the D.C. school, noted that the initial email only mentioned the candy distribution and the discovery of the gun. He planned to ask administrators for more details during parent-teacher conferences. Another parent expressed trust that the school followed required protocols immediately after the find.

The incidents have prompted increased scrutiny from families in the region. Manassas Park Police and D.C. Police are handling the respective investigations based on the evidence collected from the sites.