Last Updated on March 26, 2026 3:58 pm
WEST JEFFERSON — Both parents of a Westwood Elementary School student have been charged after a firearm was found concealed in the child's backpack, the Ashe County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday and Thursday.
The incident occurred Wednesday, March 25, when the school's resource officer and school officials discovered the firearm — which had been concealed in a pocket of the student's backpack — during school hours. Authorities took immediate action to ensure the safety of students and staff.
A joint investigation by Ashe County Schools officials and Sheriff's Office investigators concluded that the student was unaware the firearm was in the backpack at any point. Investigators also determined the child had no ill will or criminal intent, and no charges will be filed against the student.
Stephanie Marshburn Zandiotis, 44, of West Jefferson, was the first to be charged. She was booked at the Ashe County Detention Center on a $5,000 unsecured bond on the following charges:
— G.S. 14-269.2 (Felony) Weapons on campus or other educational property
— G.S. 14-269(a1) (Misdemeanor) Carrying Concealed Weapon
On Thursday, March 26, the Sheriff's Office announced that additional charges had been filed against the other parent. Michael Damien Zandiotis, 43, also of West Jefferson, was booked at the Ashe County Detention Center on a $5,000 unsecured bond on the following charge:
— G.S. 14-269.2 (Felony) Weapons on campus or other educational property
Both Michael and Stephanie Zandiotis have been released. The investigation remains ongoing.
Sheriff B. Phil Howell issued the following statement: “It does not matter how a firearm makes its way into our schools, whether it was brought from home, obtained from another individual, or accessed in any other way; our responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Any violation of the law will be addressed, and appropriate charges will be pursued based on the circumstances of each case. Our schools remain a safe place for learning, and we will continue to take necessary steps to protect them.”
(Information provided by the Ashe County Sheriff's Office)
WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — A parent has been arrested and charged after a firearm was found inside a student's backpack at Westwood Elementary School on Wednesday, according to the Ashe County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff B. Phil Howell announced that Stephanie Marshburn Zandiotis, 44, of West Jefferson, was taken into custody and booked at the Ashe County Detention Center on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
According to the sheriff's office, a student unknowingly brought the firearm into the school concealed in a pocket of his backpack during school hours. The school's resource officer and school officials discovered the item and immediately took action to ensure the safety of students and staff.
A joint investigation conducted by Ashe County School officials and the Sheriff's Office concluded that the student was unaware the firearm was in the backpack at all times. Investigators also determined the student had no ill will or criminal intent, and no charges will be filed against the child. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges against the parent may follow.
“It does not matter how a firearm makes its way into our schools, whether it was brought from home, obtained from another individual, or accessed in any other way; our responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Any violation of the law will be addressed, and appropriate charges will be pursued based on the circumstances of each case. Our schools remain a safe place for learning, and we will continue to take necessary steps to protect them.” — Sheriff B. Phil Howell, Ashe County Sheriff's Office
Zandiotis was booked on the following charges:
- G.S. 14-269.2 — (Felony) Weapons on campus or other educational property
- G.S. 14-269(a1) — (Misdemeanor) Carrying Concealed Weapon
