3 students under investigation after 2 guns found at Pittsburgh-area high school
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- Two students were found with guns at Hempfield Area High School, prompting a lockdown and police investigation.
Pennsylvania State Police said they're investigating three 15-year-old boys after several students reported seeing them make transactions involving guns on Monday.
After a search of two students' backpacks, police said officers found two guns.
Based on interviews with students and staff, police said they believe one student brought both guns to school with him. That student allegedly gave one of the guns to another student on the bus and gave the second gun to a third student in a bathroom, police said.
While the boys chose school as a place to exchange the guns, police said they don't have any reason to believe the students were planning an attack.
Police didn't have any information about whether money was exchanged for the guns. Investigators are looking into how the one student got both the guns, which were loaded.
Police said there will be charges.
The school was on lockdown from 11:40 a.m. to 3 p.m. after the guns were found.
"We greatly appreciate the students who came forward and I think that's a testament to our students and their comfort in coming and talking to a teacher, to an administrator, to one of our school police officers because they are the students who many times are aware of these situations before we are," Hempfield Area School District Superintendent Dr. Tammy Wolicki said. "And to those particular students, they did exactly what we wanted them to do."
One parent said more has to be done.
"I plan on attending the school board meetings hoping that other parents will rally with me, letting them know that this is not okay -- a couple days after the incidents, them being wanded or whatever," said one parent, who didn't want to be identified. "No, we need someone there constantly, their bags need checked every day. They needed wanded every day. Something needs to be done."
State police encouraged parents and families to use the Safe2Say Something app and hotline for students to anonymously report when they believe there is a threat to a school or classmate.
Wolicki said there will be school on Tuesday but with added security, and students will go through metal wand detectors.