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South Seneca School Employee Arrested for Possessing Rifle on School Grounds

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An employee of the South Seneca School District has been arrested for allegedly possessing a .22 caliber long rifle on school grounds.

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office reported that the rifle and ammunition that allegedly belonged to 62-year-old Everett Babcock, of Ovid, were found in the South Seneca maintenance building at around four Tuesday afternoon when the district’s School Resource Officer was alerted to the possibility of a weapon on campus. An investigation revealed the incident was isolated, with no immediate threat to students or staff.

Babcock, a former coach who led the Lady Falcons basketball team to a state championship in 2003, was charged with felony criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds.

In a statement, Superintendent Stephen Parker Zielinski said, “On Tuesday afternoon this week we learned that our employee had been accused of keeping a firearm unsecured on our campus, and we are grateful for the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office’s swift action in response. Safety and security have always been, and will always be, a primary concern for the district, and in 2024 no one should have any confusion about bringing firearms of any kind into a school district. We will cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.”

Babcock was released on an appearance ticket.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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