news-record.com

Two teens are facing criminal charges after four Ku Klux Klan-style hoods were found on the campus of High Point Central on Monday morning.

Central students David Lee Hughes, 16, and Mitchell James Dawkins, 16, are charged with placing exhibit with intention of intimidating another person.

High Point police Capt. Tony Hamrick said the hoods are made of white vinyl used with traffic cones. The vinyl had holes cut in them to resemble hoods. Three of the hoods were hung near the bus parking lot at the school and a fourth was hung from the school's flagpole.

Police also found 8 to 10 traffic cones and more vinyl sheets in a Chevy Blazer driven by Dawkins. Both students face misdemeanor larceny charges in connection with that discovery.

Hamrick said police believe the teens hung up the hoods sometime Sunday night.

There were no nooses found, Hamrick said, despite earlier reports from school system officials stating there were.

Hamrick said there have been no recent race-related issues at the school that he is aware of. He said the incident does not represent the atmosphere at the school.

"This is an irresponsible prank we take seriously," he said.

Two officers stayed on the campus for the remainder of the school day. Hamrick said there were no problems at the school in connection with the hoods.

A custodian found the hoods about 5:30 a.m.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com