Boys fire high-powered rifle at school


TWO eight-year-old boys uncovered a cache of weapons hidden at a Gold Coast school before firing one of the high-powered rifles into the playground.

Furious parents of students from Musgrave Hills State School claim the school was told of the discovery two days earlier but did nothing.

Year 4 student Talison Thomson said staff did not believe him when he first reported finding a firearm on the school grounds, but they changed their minds when he later went back with a bullet and complained of pain from ringing in his ears after a mate fired one of the weapons, The Courier Mail reported.

He said he and a friend had been exploring under one of the buildings on Monday when they found what turned out to be a cache of weapons wrapped in a hessian bag and covered in dirt.

The next day they assembled one of the rifles and fired a round into the ground.

His horrified mother, Trinity, said it was miraculous no one had been killed.

"If the bullet had gone into the air, or into a classroom, we could have been burying someone," she said.

She also was appalled at the school's handling of the matter.

"The school was not locked down, it was really not good enough," she said.

Police said one weapon was found loaded, but would not confirm whether one of the rifles had been fired.

Senior-Sergeant Mark White said scientific officers were examining the weapons, a .22 rifle and .357 calibre rifle, to determine their origin and how they came to be stashed at the school.

Three boxes of ammunition were also found.

"Obviously, locating firearms at a school is quite concerning and that will certainly form part of our investigation," Sen-Sgt White said.

A statement released by Education Queensland defended the school, saying it had contacted police as soon as the weapons were found.

"The school was not placed into lockdown as police were on site," a spokeswoman said.

"Students were informed class by class about the discovery and have been reassured about their safety."