The incident at West Jones Elementary School adds to concerns following the weekend shooting and the alleged threats that resulted

JONES COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) – An early morning shooting that destroyed three security cameras and broke a window at West Jones Elementary School added to the sense of unease prevailing in Jones County schools.

However, a Jones County Sheriff's Department investigator said Wednesday's incident at West Jones Elementary School was “completely unrelated to a Saturday night shooting at the South Mississippi Fair.”

That incident left a Northeast Jones High School student injured, followed by alleged threats of violence, as speculated in some sections of social media.

“We are very confident that (the elementary school shooting) is completely unrelated to what happened at the fair and the drama that followed,” JCSD Lt. Stephen Graeser said Wednesday afternoon.

Graerser said the incident occurred around 1 a.m. Wednesday and that “a juvenile” on a bicycle was held on police tape with an air pistol.

“It wasn’t a drive-by,” Graeser said. “This had nothing to do with what happened at the fairgrounds. This was malicious vandalism.”

Graeser said the suspect has been identified.

There were no students on campus at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported.

The lieutenant said some administrators, teachers and staff noticed the damage when they arrived at the school that day.

Graser said there was no campus lockdown.

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