Ammo and drugs also found.

by VDC Staff

Brandon police recovered two hunting rifles, ammunition, and illegal drugs from a student’s vehicle at Otter Valley Union High School on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. School officials alerted officers that guns were in the car, and police obtained permission from the student and the student’s parents to conduct a search, according to Brandon Police Chief David Kachajian. Investigators also recovered a shotgun from another juvenile as part of the same inquiry.

Kachajian told NBC5 that the search was connected to an ongoing investigation into reports of stolen guns in the area. Police believe all the missing firearms have now been located and secured. Criminal charges are expected against both juveniles once the investigation is complete. Officials stressed there was no threat to the school or the wider community.

The Rutland Herald reported the same core details, noting that two hunting rifles, ammunition, and unspecified illegal drugs were seized from the student vehicle. WCAX reported that administrators searched a student’s car on campus around 2:30 p.m., found a hunting rifle, secured the area, and called police. School officials said there was no evidence of intent to harm anyone, though the district maintains a zero-tolerance policy for weapons, and normal operations continued the following day. ABC22/FOX44 similarly confirmed that district officials found no ongoing threat to students or staff.

The recovery comes amid heightened concern at the school after two recent false threats. On October 9, Vermont State Police responded to a reported threat of violence around 10 a.m. The school was closed for a teacher in-service day, so no students were present. Police treated the call as a possible swatting incident and quickly determined it was a hoax. The district notified families that the call had been ruled non-credible.

A week later, on October 16, administrators discovered a written statement inside the building alleging a bomb was on the premises. Students were evacuated around 8 a.m. Brandon police and Vermont State Police swept the building and declared the threat non-credible; students returned roughly an hour later. District leaders emphasized that every threat is taken seriously regardless of credibility. WCAX and other outlets explicitly linked the gun recovery to these earlier incidents, noting the school had faced both a swatting call and a bomb threat in the preceding two weeks, neither of which proved credible.

A spokesperson for the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union reiterated after the weapons recovery that there was no evidence or indication of intent to cause harm on campus and no ongoing threat to the safety of students or staff. Police have not released the names of the juveniles involved, consistent with their ages. Further details on potential charges and the stolen-guns investigation are expected as the case progresses.