ORANGE COUNTY, Va. -- The Orange County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a Virginia man after a six-year-old student brought a loaded gun to school on September 16.
Drakar L. Rawlings, 31, of Orange, Virginia, was arrested and charged with:
- Allowing access to firearms by children
- Abuse and neglect of children
- Possession or transportation of firearms by convicted felons (2x)
He is being held at Central Virginia Regional Jail under no bond.
Investigators did not reveal Rawlings' relationship to the child.
"This case has been extremely complex and there have been a lot of false assumptions out there," the sheriff's office said in a statement that announced the arrest. "We thank the community for believing in us and trusting that we will be thorough in our efforts to seek Justice. This continues to be an ongoing investigation, no further will be released at this time."
Investigators previously said they did not believe the child had malicious intent when they brought the loaded gun to school in their backpack.
The loaded Heritage Rough Rider single action .22 cal “Cowboy style” revolver was discovered after the young student arrived late to school, Orange Sheriff Jason Smith wrote in a prior update on the investigation.
"At this time, there is absolutely no indication that the child had any intention to use the firearm and additionally did not understand the severity of the item that was brought," Smith said.
The gun was discovered at about 12:50 p.m. when an instructional assistant was helping the child unpack the bag.
"The instructional assistant immediately notified the administration and the School Resource Officer (SRO) of needing immediate assistance. Administration and the SRO quickly took possession and control of the firearm and bookbag," Smith said. "Until the instructional assistant located the firearm, neither the Sheriff’s Office nor the school system was aware of its presence and had not received any information or threat of any weapon on school property."
In the days after the gun was discovered, Orange County Schools Superintendent Dan Hornick urged adults in the community to take a more active role in protecting the school community.
"I ask that all parents and guardians exercise even greater diligence in ensuring that students do not bring weapons or other dangerous items to school," he wrote. "As a parent of two OCPS students, I plan to check my children's possessions more frequently and increase communication about school safety. By working together, we can provide the safe and dynamic learning environment our students deserve. Thank you for your continued support, even under difficult circumstances."
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