Fight after football practice saw teen athlete pull gun on fellow player, NC cops say

A dispute after football practice turned potentially deadly at a North Carolina high school when a student athlete pulled out a gun, according to the Craven County sheriff’s Office.

The weapon was not fired during the incident, but charges are expected, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

It happened around 11:35 a.m. Monday, Aug. 15, at New Bern High School in New Bern, 115 miles southeast of Raleigh, officials said.

“School was not in session. However, some staff members and student athletes were present,” the sheriff’s office said. “A preliminary investigation determined that two student athletes were involved in an altercation outside of the school after football practice, during which a firearm was reportedly displayed.”

No injuries were reported during the altercation, officials said.

Identities of the two students were not released and investigators have not said what prompted them to clash after practice.

The school campus went on lockdown for about 20 minutes due to the potential threat, reported station WITN.

“Charges are pending the completion of the investigation in conjunction with school authorities,” officials said.

New Bern High School’s varsity football team, the Bears, began its season Aug. 13, but official league play doesn’t begin until Aug. 26, according to Scorebooklive.com.

The school has an enrollment of 1,616 students in grades 9 through 12, USNews.com reports.

This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Fight after football practice saw teen athlete pull gun on fellow player, NC cops say."