State bus driver instructor reportedly brought gun to Upstate school

LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – An employee for the South Carolina Department of Education has been arrested after he reportedly brought a gun onto school property.

According to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, Desmond Nathaniel Williams, of Hampton, was arrested on Wednesday. He has been charged with with carrying/displaying a firearm in a public building.

Williams is a bus driver training instructor, according to the Department of Education website.

According to Laurens District 55, Williams held a presentation for the school district’s bus drivers and conducted an active shooter simulation. During the training, the district said Williams pulled out a “real, unloaded gun.”

Laurens District 55 said they checked with the Department of Education and were told that it was not protocol.

The sheriff’s office said the arrest stems from an incident at a Laurens County school on Friday. After reviewing the incident, the sheriff’s office determined state laws which forbid people from bringing guns onto school property were violated.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the agency was “deeply concerned” about the incident.

“The Department is conducting a thorough review and is committed to following our established policies and procedures. As this is a personnel matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”

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