WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A woman is facing charges after allegedly bringing a gun in her purse to a Bruton High School band concert, which was left overnight and discovered by a staff member the following day, according to the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office.
Rebecca Sandoval, 36, of Williamsburg, is facing a felony charge of possessing a firearm on school property.
On Friday, a staff member found a purse with a gun inside it in the school's auditorium, the sheriff's office says. A School Resource Officer determined that the purse belonged to someone who was at Thursday's concert. Sandoval was then arrested and charged.
Bruton High School Principal Aaron McQuillan shared a statement saying while she had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, bringing weapons onto school property at any time is against the law.
McQuillan's full statement is as follows:
"This is Aaron McQuillan, principal of Bruton High School. Bruton prioritizes the safety of students and staff, as well as maintaining open lines of communication with our families.
As such, I want to share a situation which affected our school today. This morning, a staff member noticed an unattended purse in the school's auditorium, where a band concert took place last night.
The staff member discovered a handgun inside the purse and immediately notified school administrators and our School Resource Officer. The York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office quickly determined the purse belonged to an adult who attended last night's concert.
While the owner had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, bringing weapons onto school property at any time is against the law. The Sheriff's Office is pursuing criminal charges.
I want to assure our team promptly and effectively addressed this incident, thanks in part to a responsible staff member who swiftly notified school administrators.
As we have shared before, school safety is a shared responsibility, and we will continue to partner with our families to provide safe, secure, and supportive learning environments.
Thank you for your continued support of Bruton High School."
