AHOSKIE – An Ahoskie teenager is behind bars on a pair of weapons charges.

Tishone Dihu Askew, 16, of 211 West First Street, is under a $5,500 bond in the Hertford County Jail facing a pair of charges due to a Tuesday night incident near a school.

According to Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan, Askew was observed standing stationary on Community College Road facing Modlin Road.

Sheriff’s Office Captain Tim Lassiter observed the subject standing on the road near the Freeland Building on the Roanoke-Chowan Community College campus at about 8:50 p.m.

&uot;Captain Lassiter saw the subject put something in his pants and approached him,&uot; Vaughan said.

Lassiter placed Askew in the patrol car and called for backup. Once Deputy Neal Ambrose arrived on the scene, the two deputies removed a sawed-off shotgun from Askew’s pants and also removed a razor.

The subject was taken into custody and charged with felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction and also charged with possession of a concealed weapon. Vaughan said the gun was not loaded and no shotgun shells were found in Askew’s possession.

&uot;We don’t know what this young man was up to or was getting ready to be up to,&uot; the sheriff said.

He said he was appreciative of Lassiter’s job in this case.

&uot;Certainly I would like to thank Captain Lassiter for being observant of the surroundings,&uot; Vaughan said. &uot;We don’t know what would have happened if he had not been. Because of his watchful eye we avoided what could have possibly been an ugly situation.&uot;