Published: June 03, 2009 10:46 pm      

Hampshire High gunman foiled by citizen’s tip

Police say 18-year-old armed with shotgun, rifle, bat when taken into custody on school grounds

ROMNEY, W.Va. — An 18-year-old Slanesville man is facing up to 10 years in state prison after showing up at Hampshire High School on Tuesday with a loaded shotgun, a .22-caliber rifle and a baseball bat.

Levi Stotler was arrested in the school parking lot at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday by Hampshire County Cpl. Greg Kesner, who is the school’s resource officer.

Stotler was charged with possession of a deadly weapon on property of an educational facility, a felony that carries a state prison term of two to 10 years.

School officials received a citizen’s tip that Stotler was irate and en route to the school with weapons just minutes before the arrest was made at the main rear entrance of the school.

At the time of the arrest, Kesner confiscated the shotgun, rifle and baseball bat.

Stotler was jailed for the day at the Potomac Highlands Regional Jail in Augusta prior to posting $7,500 bond set by Hampshire County Magistrate Shirley Timbrook.

According to the Hampshire Review, Stotler drove to the school from Slanesville after becoming angry with a female student.

Sheriff Nathan Sions commended Kesner for “handling the incident and being able to take the suspect into custody without incident.”