Department of Education employee arrested after District 55 training incident – ​​The Laurens County Advertiser

A state Department of Education employee who was on the Laurens District High School campus for a training session last week was arrested by the Laurens County Sheriff's Office for an incident involving a firearm during simulation training.

Desmond Nathaniel Williams of Hampton, a training coordinator for the Department of Education, was assigned to train bus drivers on Thursday, Sept. 12, and conducted a simulation involving a firearm.

The LCSO said he used a real and unloaded gun that belonged to him – which is not against protocol.

He was supposed to be on campus, officials from Laurens County's 55th Precinct told the LCSO, but firearms are prohibited on campus under state law. County officials referred the matter to the Department of Education and the LCSO, which said bringing the weapon to campus was a violation of state law.

“It is unlawful for an individual to bring a firearm onto school property, and further displaying and handling the firearm in an unsafe manner constitutes the violation,” the LCSO said in a press release.

Williams was booked into the Laurens County Sheriff's Office and released on bail.