PHILIPPI — Two more Philip Barbour High School students say the Barbour County Board of Education failed to adequately protect them when another student brought a gun to school and threatened a class full of students.
Traeton Long and his parents Christopher and Vanessa Long also were named as defendants in the suits filed in Barbour Circuit Court.
The unnamed plaintiffs, identified as M.J. and R.S., were ninth-grade students under the age of 16, along with Traeton Long. During the 2015-16 school year, the defendants failed to recognize Traeton Long's behavioral patterns and failed to refer him to properly address his behaviors, according to the suits.
Traeton Long had a girlfriend and would exhibit extreme jealous when it came to her, the complaints state. The plaintiffs allege that when the girlfriend broke up with Traeton Long, he became angry and began to make threatening comments on social media outlets toward the school community.
The plaintiffs claim an employee of the school was alerted to Traeton Long's comments, however, that employee did not follow safety protocols.
On Aug. 25, 2015, Traeton Long did not go to school on time and, instead, obtained possession of guns and ammunition that belonged to his parents, Christopher Long and Vanessa Long, and then arrived at school late, according to the suits.
M.J. and R.S. claim that after Traeton Long checked in, he went to a classroom in which he was not assigned and where his former girlfriend, M.J. and R.S. were located. He then entered the classroom, closed the door behind him and brandished the firearm, while threatening the class. The plaintiffs claim he even pointed the gun in the teacher's face.
The plaintiffs claim Traeton Long terrorized the students and the teacher, threatening to shoot them and told them to say goodbye to their families in their heads because they would not be leaving the classroom.
After 45 minutes and the class period had ended, new students attempted to enter the classroom and the teacher was able to signal to them to alert another teacher of the danger. Police were then notified and Traeton Long was talked down and taken into custody, according to the suits.
M.J. and R.S. claim they felt unsafe at school after the incident and no longer enjoy activities they previously enjoyed. The students claim Traeton Long's parents and the school board breached duties owed to students.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by Michael A. Olivio of Olivio Law Firm.
Another former PBHS student previously filed a similar lawsuit.
Barbour Circuit Court case numbers: 21-C-6, 21-C-7
