On October 1st, 2026, at approximately 8:35 a.m., school administrators at West Clermont Middle School, located at 1341 Clough Pike, Batavia Township, notified the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer (SRO) of reports that a 6th-grade female student told her entire class that she saw a student with a gun in the school building hallway. These claims were quickly reported to the SRO and School Administrators. The SRO immediately launched an investigation. Additional deputies responded to the school for security purposes.

Through interviews with students and staff, an 11-year-old female student was identified as the individual responsible for making the statement. The student in question cooperated with deputies. During the student interview, she stated that she lied and she imagined this, adding that she never saw anyone with a weapon. Camera footage was reviewed, which confirmed there was no one with a weapon in the hallways as initially reported. 

It was confirmed that no firearm was brought onto school property and no students were placed in any danger.  

This case was reviewed with the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, and it was determined the student would be charged with:

      (1) Count of Falsification a misdemeanor of the 1st degree 

      (1) count of Making False Alarms, a misdemeanor of the 1st degree 

The student was released to her parents and placed on suspension pending further disciplinary action by school officials.