Rifle-toting suspect at Raleigh high school’s graduation rehearsal causes mass panic
A Wake County high school graduation ceremony rehearsal erupted into panic Thursday after a person brought a rifle to N.C. State University’s campus.
N.C. State Police charged Deon Ray McCullers, 19, on Thursday with bringing a gun on educational property and going armed to the terror of the people.
McCullers is accused of bringing a rifle to Thursday morning’s graduation rehearsal for Southeast Raleigh High School at Reynolds Coliseum.
According to the arrest warrant, McCullers got into a confrontation with an individual off campus.
“He then came armed to his graduation with his firearm in his vehicle,” according to the warrant. “He armed himself while in a crowded parking lot by pulling the rifle from the vehicle and walked around his vehicle with the rifle in his hands.
“This caused mass panic to a large crowd who sheltered in place inside the coliseum.”
The arrest warrant describes the rifle as an AK-style semi-automatic rifle also known as a Draco.
McCullers is being held at the Wake County jail on a $15,000 secured bond.
Despite the incident, the graduation ceremony went on as scheduled Thursday night at Reynolds Coliseum.
The incident marked the end of a difficult school year for Southeast Raleigh High. In November, a 15-year-old student was fatally stabbed on campus. A 14-year-old student has been charged with murder.
