TOLEDO, Ohio — One of two men charged with possessing loaded weapons at a Toledo high school parking lot in September has accepted a plea deal Monday.
Toledo Public Schools officers were at Bowsher High School for a homecoming event on Sept. 24, 2022, when they received information that two men were in the parking lot with a rifle.
Witnesses contacted police, saying that a person was waving a rifle around on school grounds.
According to police, the first suspect, Edward Spikener, 19, brought a loaded AR-15-style rifle and pistol onto the Bowsher property. During the homecoming dance, Spikener allowed a student to take pictures with the weapons.
The second suspect, Vanard Shelton, 18, had a loaded AR-15-style rifle in his vehicle that he was seen carrying on school property. Shelton then fled from the police, leading them on a lengthy vehicle pursuit, Toledo police said.
The pursuit eventually ended and both suspects were taken into custody by police.
Spikener was originally charged with possession of a deadly weapon at a school. He pleaded guilty to attempted tampering with evidence and will be sentenced April 24.
Shelton is scheduled to go to trial March 16 and is charged with improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
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