VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Four people were arrested for bringing weapons on school property during a football game at Salem High School in Virginia Beach over the weekend.
Virginia Beach Police Captain Scott Wichtendahl said the department received reports of criminal activity expected at the event.
The captain said with little time to prepare, police seized nine illegally-possessed weapons on the property.
This weekend @VBPD received reports of criminal activity expected at a local high school football game. With little time to prepare, officers seized 9 illegally possessed weapons on school property and arrested 4 subjects. #DisruptingTheShootingCycle #SeeSomethingSaySomething pic.twitter.com/CIlur6HW6a
— Captain Scott Wichtendahl (@SEWichtendahl) September 20, 2021
Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate added that this happened in the parking lot. He said VBPD's Operations & Investigations Division received information about "potential conflict between groups" at the game.
Tremendous work by @VBPD Operations & Investigations Division personnel who received intelligence about potential conflict between groups at VB high school football game Friday night. Precision police work recovered 9 illegally possessed firearms in the parking lot! https://t.co/oW1rgYKkco
— Chief Paul Neudigate (@PaulNeudigate) September 20, 2021
Salem High School's principal emailed parents and students regarding this situation with the following message:
Good evening, Salem Families,
From the School Resource Officer program to supporting our Office of Safe Schools, the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) has been a steadfast and crucial partner with Virginia Beach City Public Schools in protecting our students, staff and property. As you have likely heard by now, police were in our school's parking lot last Friday night, arrested four individuals and recovered multiple firearms from vehicles.
We thank the VBPD for their vigilance and quick work in successfully averting a dangerous situation. Because of the nature of this investigation, and because there was no imminent danger to the community, information about what happened was not released to the public until Monday by the VBPD. It was not the purview of VBCPS to alert the public in a police matter. Our division leadership team is working with the VBPD to ensure communication channels remain open when any of their investigations could affect our school community in the future.
As always, we thank you for your support of Salem High School.
Leeane Turnbull-Pallette, Principal
