William H. Neff Center teacher Manuael Ernest Dillow accused of firing blank gun shots at students

A 60-year-old Virginia high school teacher is accused of lining up his students and then firing a blank gun at them.

The incident is said to have taken place on April 4 at William H. Neff Center, a vocational high school in Abingdon.

According to the arrest affidavit, the teacher, Manuael Ernest Dillow gathered 12 students in his welding class, lined them up near a garage door in the welding shop and from the waistband of his pants, produced a blank gun and fired four to 10 shots in the students’ direction.

Authorities said no students were injured in the incident.

Dillow, who had borrowed the firearm from a teacher in a criminal justice class, was charged with 12 counts of brandishing a firearm on school property.

Dillow, who was released from police custody on a $20,000 bond, has been temporarily removed from his classroom.