By Chris Miller and Josh Bergeron

news@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — A Gray Stone Day School middle school student from Granite Quarry was killed Monday evening after suffering an accidental gunshot wound.

Granite Quarry-Faith Joint Police Authority Chief Mark Cook said officers responded to a call about a gunshot victim around 6 p.m. Monday on Ramses Rock Run. An unnamed juvenile was shot while handling a firearm that he thought was unloaded. The gun still had a round in its chamber when he was handling it, Cook said.

The bullet struck the juvenile and killed him. Officers met with the family Wednesday evening to disclose their findings, Cook said.

“At this time, the family has asked for privacy and we ask for everyone to keep the family in thoughts and prayers,” he said. “We have no further releasable details. However, the investigation is still ongoing.”

Gray Stone Day School in Misenheimer notified students that one of their classmates died. Chief Administrative Officer Helen Nance said counselors and the school nurse have been available to students to help students express their feelings and deal with grief of losing a classmate. Plans are being formulated to honor the student.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved middle school student,” said principal Kristen Gray.

She said the student was “an exceptional young man and an integral part of our Knight family” who “made friends easily, and loved to make others laugh.

“We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and our thoughts are with everyone affected as they process through this tragedy,” she said.