SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk middle school teacher Jennifer McDonald-Awolowo was arrested and charged with 12 counts related to purchasing guns for a convicted felon, an illegal straw purchase of guns.
Brooke Russell, a friend of the Forest Glen Middle School teacher, said McDonald was devastated after her arrest.
"She spends 18 hours of every day tending to her students and their needs. This is just very uncharacteristic of Jen. I think she got wrapped up in a bad situation," said Russell.
Russell told WTKR that the man and McDonald were previously in a relationship and she bought the guns so they could go shooting.
Russell said ATF agents recently began questioning McDonald about the gun purchases.
"They questioned her about why she had purchased guns and this and that. She told them what was going on. We shoot at my property," said Russell.
The ATF then notified Suffolk Police about the purchases and police arrested McDonald.
"She told them why we purchased, what we did with it, how they came to not be in her possession," said Russell.
Russell said McDonald thought because she had been cooperative with law enforcement there would be some sort of leniency, but now McDonald is being held in jail without bond and is due in court next week.
"She's very much a school teacher and she's scared. She's not dealing with it very well at all. It's heartbreaking," said Russell.
