PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson addressed the community regarding an incident at a middle school dance at South Paulding High School, assuring residents that no gun was involved, and no one was injured.
The dance, which took place on Saturday night, involved students from Scoggins, Austin, and South Paulding Middle Schools and was organized by the booster club.
Despite initial fears, the incident was a false alarm caused by students with vapes.
“If something would have happened, I promise you, we would have let you guys know,” Henson said in a video message posted to Facebook.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday when parents noticed students acting suspiciously.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Georgia ICE agent, wife targeted in social media threats
- A 15-year-old girl vanished more than a year ago; she was just rescued in Georgia
- Girl shot during argument with Uber driver picking up her, friends at Waffle House
“When they tried to stop the student, the student ran, ran over to another student and stuffed something in the hoodie pocket of another kid,” Henson said. “At that point, those two kids ran, and the deputy gave chase. And so those kids ended up running, you know, up and out of the building, and that’s when we had some parents step in and help detain those kids.”
Upon investigation, deputies discovered that the students were hiding something, which led to a panic among attendees.
Social media quickly spread misinformation, causing a stampede as students fled the scene.
“When those kids ran out, the word immediately spread like wildfire via social media, via Snapchat, via any way of communication, word of mouth, and before you know it, there is a stampede,” Henson said.
The investigation later showed the students were passing vapes to each other, and not a gun, as was being posted on social media.
Henson praised the children for their quick response, noting that they followed safety protocols effectively.
In response to the chaos, the sheriff’s office and school system conducted debriefs to learn from the situation and improve future safety measures.
Henson reiterated that no gun was seen or found and urged anyone with information to contact the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office tip line.
Sheriff Henson expressed gratitude for the community’s support and stressed the importance of ongoing vigilance and communication to ensure the safety of students in Paulding County.
©2025 Cox Media Group
