Prince William Police: ARREST IN LOCAL SCHOOL SHOOTING

SRO Arrests Man for Firing Gun on Prince William Middle School Campus

Man accused of firing a round outside Rippon Middle School

Posted

Armed Individual on School Grounds – On March 24 at 11:11 a.m., the School Resource Officer [SRO] assigned to Rippon Middle School, located at 15101 Blackburn Road in Woodbridge, was informed by school staff of a gunshot heard near campus.

Staff members who were outside the building heard a gunshot and then saw a man armed with a gun on school property.

The staff members immediately reentered the school and notified the SRO. The SRO requested additional units to respond to the school to conduct a check of the grounds. 

The SRO encountered the accused, Durante Arye Meza, who was outside, along a cut-through on the property located near the side of the building. According to police, Meza was wearing a ski-style mask and was armed with a rifle and a shotgun.

The SRO immediately challenged Meza, who complied with the officer’s commands. Then officers took him into custody without incident. 

An investigation revealed that the accused was involved in a domestic incident at his home located on nearby Georgia Road. At one point, the accused left the residence with the weapons and fired at least one round from the shotgun into the air on school property, which prompted the notification to the SRO by school staff.

"At this time, there does not appear to be any connection to the school," said 1st Sgt. Jonathan Perok. "Rippon Middle School and nearby Featherstone Elementary were briefly secured as a precaution while the incident unfolded."

No injuries or property damage were immediately reported.

Officers also made contact with the other residents of the home on Georgia Road. The investigation revealed the domestic incident was verbal in nature, and no injuries were reported.

Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Durante Arye Meza, was arrested.

Durante Arye Meza, 20, of 15102 Georgia Road in Woodbridge, was charged with discharging a firearm on school grounds and possession of a firearm on school grounds

His court date was set for May 10, 2022. He is being held WITHOUT Bond.

This article was slightly edited from the Police Report for style and clarity. 

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