11-year-old HHISCA student says he brought knife to school to scare away bullies

An 11-year-old Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts student was sent home to parents Wednesday after he brought an 8-inch knife to class to scare a group of bullies, a Beaufort County Sheriff's Office report released Thursday said.

An assistant principal called police around 10 a.m. after a teacher alerted her about the knife, the report said. The student, whose name was not released, turned over the knife to the assistant principal when asked, the report said.

The student told deputies that he didn't intend to use the knife, but only wanted to show it to a group of students who were picking on him and scare them into stopping, the report said. The student said the bullying had stopped but recently started again.

Principal Gretchen Keefner said she was pleased the situation was addressed promptly and thoroughly by students and staff. She declined comment on the student's punishment, citing confidentiality.

The student was released into his parents' custody and will face a charge of carrying a weapon on school property in Family Court, the report said.

The following reports were released Thursday by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office on Hilton Head Island.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Car break-in

• Anchorage Point -- Window on 2007 Volkswagen broken. Damage: $300.

Vandalism

• Wimbledon Court -- Two window screens vandalized. Damage: $300.

BLUFFTON

Theft

• Kangaroo Express, 1610 Fording Island Road -- $193 in quarters stolen from air/

vacuum machine.

-- Compiled by Josh Lanier