Families unnerved after learning 6-year-old student struck by bullet at school

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - Families of Lincoln Elementary students are concerned, after finding out a 6-year-old was hit in the face by a bullet while on the school property.

Melissa and Eric Clark’s 6-year-old daughter attends Lincoln Elementary. They got an unnerving phone call Saturday, only it wasn’t about the little boy being shot.

“It just didn’t make sense. It said they were investigating a fall from a student," said Melissa Clark. "But they said there was going to be a crisis team on Monday for the kids, there was an investigation. And I’m like... over a fall?”

In a press release on Sunday, the Brunswick county Sheriff’s office wrote:

“Detectives do not believe there to be any malicious intent. All indications lead to it was an accidental incident, likely stemming from someone in the area shooting on private property.”

But even with that knowledge, The Clark’s are worried.

“You send your kids to school thinking they’ll be safe and nowhere is safe anymore," said Clark. "I’m really nervous to send her to school tomorrow.”

They’re now trying to figure out how to tell her what happened.

“You don’t want her living in fear and especially because if you tell a 6-year-old that, she’s not going to be able to comprehend what’s happening,” said Eric Clark.

The Brunswick County school system says parents have no need to worry and students are safe on school grounds, saying:

“Student and staff safety is and will always be the top priority in Brunswick County Schools and we continue to look for ways to ensure that safety on school grounds.”

But that’s little comfort to the boy now recovering from surgery and everyone wondering how something like this could have happened

The dad and the student who was shot went to Lincoln Elementary, Sunday, to see where it all happened.

The dad said it was a 9 mm bullet that went through his son’s mouth. He’s doing well though and in good condition. He can’t really talk at the moment, but dad says the nurses told him he was blessed by God to still be alive.

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