9mm Handgun Recovered From Student's Backpack At Thornton High School
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4)- A 9mm handgun was recovered from a student's backpack at Thornton High School Friday morning. The weapon was loaded.
Thornton High School officials received a tip just before 9 a.m. that a 10th grade student was in possession of a handgun while on school grounds. The school resource officer contacted the male student in class and took the 15-year-old into custody for possession of a handgun.
"At approximately 8:55 this morning school officials received an anonymous tip from an individual at the school that there was possibly a student who had a handgun here at the school," said Thornton Police spokesman Matt Barnes.
The gun was found in the student's backpack. It was loaded with three rounds in the magazine and did not have a round chambered in a firing position.
"They didn't put us on lockdown or anything. They just took the student out of class," said 11th grader Railyn Ott.
Investigators say the student had not made any threats to students of staff. Police are attempting to determine where the teen got the gun.
The juvenile male was arrested for investigation of carrying a concealed weapon on school grounds and juvenile in possession of a handgun.
"It was loaded, there wasn't a round in the chamber. There were three rounds in the magazine which has a higher capacity than that but there wasn't one in the chamber," said Barnes.
Students didn't find out until later in the day what had happened.
"We started freaking out a little bit because it happened early in the morning and none of us knew," said Ott.
"It is scary to know that someone came to school with a loaded gun to know that someone could've gotten hurt or injured," said 10th grader Hannah Spencer.
Investigators are trying to figure out why the teen brought the gun to school.
The juvenile was taken to the Adams County Juvenile Detention Facility. He has not been identified.
Thornton High School had a statement on its website that read, in part:
"The situation was resolved quickly and without incident. This is a good reminder for parents to talk with their child about the school and district's strict rules about not bringing any weapons or anything that could be considered a weapon to school. It's also an opportunity to reinforce with your student to report any safety concern they have to a trusted adult. Additionally, they can report a safety concern anonymously to Safe2Tell at www.safe2tell.org or 1-877-542-SAFE."
Read the full statement from Thornton High School regarding the loaded handgun.