Unloaded gun taken from student at Fayetteville school; mother charged

An unloaded handgun was taken from a student at Lucile Souders Elementary School in Fayetteville on Monday.

2026-04-28

A spokesperson from Cumberland County Schools shared limited details but said the "situation was resolved quickly and safely" with the use of the school's weapons detection system and coordination between law enforcement and school staff.

The student's mother was arrested and charged. Donreon McDuffie was charged with failing to properly store a firearm. She was released from Cumberland County Detention Center under a $5,000 unsecured bond.

The incident remains under investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department.

Cumberland County Schools is among the many school systems in North Carolina that use weapons detectors, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Edgecombe, Guilford, Harnett, Johnston, Nash, Person and Wilson counties.

Earlier this month, East Chapel Hill High School's principal said a student had an unloaded handgun on campus.