Thursday, May 2, 2013

People helping people... N.C. High School Student Arrested for Accidentally Leaving Gun in His Truck Gets Huge (Awesome) Surprise


People helping people...

N.C. High School Student Arrested for Accidentally Leaving Gun in His Truck Gets Huge (Awesome) Surprise

May. 2, 2013 3:29pmJason Howerton

Liberty University Offers Scholarship to Cole Withrow After Hes Arrested Over Gun in Truck
David “Cole” Withrow has been expelled and received a felony charge for accidentally leaving his shotgun in his truck at school and calling his mother to come pick it up when he realized the mistake. (Photo via “Free Cole”/Facebook)

In a matter of days, North Carolina high school student David “Cole” Withrow’s situation has changed dramatically. For one, Liberty University announced Thursday that it will extend a scholarship to Withrow after he was suspended and arrested for accidentally leaving a shotgun in his pick-up truck parked in the school lot.

Withrow, a high school senior and Eagle Scout, had been skeet shooting the day before the incident and inadvertently neglected to store his firearm. Once he realized his error, he immediately locked the gun in his truck and went inside the school to call his mom so she could come pick it up.

But a Princeton High School official overhead Withrow’s phone call to his mother and the school promptly called the police. After the gun was discovered in his truck, he was arrested and charged with a felony. The school is not allowing Withrow to return to school of the rest of the year, however, an attorney for Johnston County Schools on Thursday said he will still be allowed to graduate on time by attending an alternative school, WTVD-TV reports.

Now, Liberty University is stepping in to make sure that the high school senior will be able to continue on to college.

“In reaction to the gun control debate in America, Liberty University recently loosened – not strengthened – its concealed weapons policy on campus, and is now providing a scholarship to a North Carolina high school student who was arrested for leaving a shotgun in his pick-up truck in the school parking lot,” the school announced in a press release provided to TheBlaze Thursday.
Jerry Falwell, Jr., the school’s chancellor, heard about Withrow’s story on a local evening news broadcast and felt compelled to help.

“When I reached out to encourage this responsible and impressive young man, I learned that he wanted to go to Liberty University, but couldn’t afford it. I told him that we would do whatever he needed so that he can attend Liberty,” Falwell said in a statement. “Anti-gun zealots tried to vilify him for doing the right thing, so Liberty has decided to award him the help he needs to attend a private Christian college. I was really impressed with Cole. He is a humble and meek Christian kid who only wants to do the right thing! We want students like Cole Withrow.”

Before it was understood that Withrow would be able to graduate by completing an alternative schooling program, Liberty University was also offering to let him wrap-up his high school requirements through their online academy.

As previously reported by TheBlaze, two school officials had reportedly brought guns onto school property in the past. One, a teacher at another high school within the district, was cited and resigned. The other is actually the assistant principal at Princeton High School where Cole spent the last four years. That person was suspended for three days and still works at the school. Neither case saw criminal charges like those Cole faces.

Liberty University allows qualified students, faculty and staff to carry concealed firearms on campus and in all buildings, excluding residence halls. You can follow Liberty University on twitter @LibertyU.

TheBlaze has reached out to Liberty University and is expected to receive comment soon. We will update this story at that time.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's time for us to tell these "Zero Tolerance" idiots (Zero Brains,Zero Common Sense) that we have Zero Tolerance for this BS. It's amazing how the PTB have manipulated them into this way of thinking. Mmmmmm... Don't we pay their salaries? Don't we elect the board members? You are the hired help. Stop screwing with us and do your job! You are not superior to us! (Yes, I hold degrees too!) I've gotten that attitude from more than one teacher. Some didn't even have good command of the English language. Shut up and do what we pay you to do. Stop harassing the students and parents.

Will H. said...

My son is a junior in high school(Bartow High in Polk county Florida).When I'm not working shift I allow him to drive my car to school so he doesnt have to ride the bus. Monday April 29th,the school had a random drug dog go through the parking lot on campus. Guess what, my car was targeted by the dog.
So they call for my son to come to the car and proceeded to ask for permission to search the car.
Inside the car(passenger compartment)they didnt find anything except a couple of empty cig packs and some trash that I dont want to throw out the window going down the road. Anyway, But in the search of the trunk under several jackets and various tools they came across my tacklebox that I left in there from my SKYWAY Bridge trip a couple of months ago. So in searching my tacklebox they came across a lock blade knife that I havent used in awhile and it was almost rusted shut.(it took a little bit for them to get it open).They said that law states that any knife longer than 3" is against the policy of the school board(my knife was 3 and 1/4 long. So They suspended him for ten days and they are required by law to recommend expulsion. We had our first appeal hearing, and our second is scheduled for May 6th with school board people there. Im hoping everything goes alright.

Anonymous said...

He did not commit any crime to trash the community. Forgetting some thing is not a crime. Some people must be crazier than the devil to prosecute him.

Anonymous said...

These issues are for (state)citizen's boards of review to consider and render a bill of complaint (without legal word of art "prayer") with demand for relief. Watch for citizen's boards of review to be formed in a county near you. ALL power and authority resides in the People. Always has, always will.

Anonymous said...

Why not in the resident halls? Somethings wrong right there. If you can't keep your Arms in your home you MUST as a student keep in in your vehicle in order to have it if (God Forbid) you ever need it. The College while seeming to support him actually limits him if he stays on campus .