It’s happening somewhere in the U.S. almost every day: students of all ages are being caught with guns in school—and the firearms are often loaded. This frightening trend is yet another safety threat administrators must confront as they work to harden their schools against mass shooters.
Within just the last week alone, guns have been confiscated from at least a dozen students at schools across the country. Authorities revealed earlier this week that a student in Missouri’s Grandview C-4 School District allegedly showed up at his high school with a handgun that he’d modified into an automatic weapon, according to FOX 4 Kansas City. The student was arrested without incident on weapons charges, police told the station.
Grandview district administrators said in a message to the community that there was never a threat to other students, FOX 4 Kansas City reported.
In another troubling incident, school security guards allegedly found a loaded ghost gun in a student’s bag at Academy School #131 in Buffalo Public Schools, according to The Buffalo News. The 17-year-old, who had passed through a “weapons detection system” at the school’s entrance, fled during the search, forcing officials to briefly lock the building down while they searched for him, the website reported.
Because ghost guns are sold in parts over the internet and then assembled by the buyer, they have no serial numbers and cannot be traced by law enforcement, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
A father, 34, was charged after a loaded gun was allegedly found in his child’s backpack at Park Lakes Elementary School in Broward County, Florida. The Fort Lauderdale-area school was placed on lockdown while police responded, but officials said students were never in danger, NBC 6 South Florida reported. The father, who told authorities that he put the gun in the wrong bag, was also charged with two counts of possession for a pair of firearms that were discovered in the vehicle he drove to the school, the website added.
More from DA: Sudden departures leave 2 districts searching for their next superintendents
In Georgia, a middle school student is facing criminal charges and school disciplinary action after staff members found an unloaded handgun and marijuana in the student’s backpack, WSBTV.com reported. According to the station, the student was searched after a staff member at Trickum Middle School in the Gwinnett County School District raised concerns that there might be in possession of marijuana. The school’s principal said the staff member’s quick response helped administrators and police prevent a more dangerous incident.
Here’s a rundown of other incidents where students are accused of bringing guns to school:
- Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (Tennessee): A 15-year-old boy was arrested after he allegedly tried to bring a loaded handgun through a metal detector at Johnson Alternative Learning Center, WSMV reported.
- Muncie Community Schools (Indiana): A handgun was in the possession of a student undergoing a random security check at Muncie Central High School. The student was suspended and faces expulsion and weapons charges, the Star Press reported.
- New Hanover County Schools (North Carolina): An 18-year-old student was arrested for allegedly bringing a Glock 19 9mm handgun with an extended magazine to Ashley High School. The gun was discovered by an assistant principal who was searching the student’s bookbag for a vape pen, authorities told WECT.com.
- San Jose USD (California): A student was arrested for allegedly carrying a loaded gun into Herbert Hoover Middle School though police said there was no evidence the student intended to commit a crime, NBC Bay Area reported.
- The School District of Superior (Wisconsin): A student who allegedly brought a loaded handgun to Superior High School was removed from the building by police on April 24 after administrators received a report about the firearm from another student, according to The Superior Telegram.
- Buncombe County Schools (North Carolina): A student brought a BB gun to W.D. Williams Elementary School through administrators said there “was no ill intent,” the Citizen Times reported.
- Charles County Public Schools (Maryland): A North Point High School student was arrested after a BB gun and marijuana were allegedly found in his backpack, Fox Baltimore reported.
