EAST POINT, Ga. — A former high school coach says he prevented a possible school shooting and then lost his job. Now he’s trying to clear his name.
Coach Kenneth Miller told Channel 2′s Tom Jones that he received a video showing guns on campus at Tri-Cities High School.
He said he went to the student with the guns and confronted her. That’s when an altercation began, which led to his termination.
“We got notice that the kids were planning on doing something at the pep rally,” Miller said.
He said when he got word last August that a student brought guns on campus he immediately jumped into action with the principal’s blessings.
“We located guns. And we saved lives,” Miller said.
He also was fired.
“It all happened in a second,” Miller said.
Video of the incident shows Miller questioning a student he said he saw on school security video pass a book bag with a gun to another student.
The Fulton County School District admits the student was highly agitated and aggressive.
She smacked a phone out of Miller’s hands. He then pushed her into a whiteboard.
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The student then pushed him into a bookcase.
Officers had to shock the girl with a Taser to get her under control.
Miller was then fired for his part in the altercation. He said he was defending himself and trying to save lives.
“We really saved lives that day. And nobody wants to pay attention to the fact that we took guns,” Miller said.
A termination hearing got underway. Then Miller’s attorney, Allen Lightcap, said the district suddenly halted the hearing, deciding to pursue suspension.
Lightcap wants the termination hearing to continue so Miller can clear his name absent a hearing.
“Drop the termination. Drop the suspension. Put him back to work at Tri-Cities High School,” Lightcap said.
Miller said he shouldn’t have been terminated and he doesn’t deserve a suspension.
“Why should I just take a suspension. Take money out of my family’s mouth,” Miller said.
A school district investigative report said a loaded gun was found in that student’s book bag after the altercation.
The school district said this is a personnel issue and a legal process that has to be followed so it couldn’t comment.
Miller’s attorney said the district is pushing for a 20-day suspension. He says a suspension hearing wouldn’t be fair since he can’t call any witnesses.
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