Gun Found With Anne Arundel County Student For The Second Time In A Month
EDGEWATER, Md. (WJZ)-- Another gun incident at an area school, this time at a middle school in Anne Arundel County.
Rochelle Ritchie has more from the Board of Education and parents who say more security measures are needed.
Last month, a Southern High School student took more than books to school. He carried a gun in his backpack. And now, a Central Middle School is facing disciplinary action for the same crime.
For the second time in less than a month, Anne Arundel County is stricken again with a gun on campus.
"It is difficult, if not impossible, to be secure in that regard," Bob Mosier, spokesman for Anne Arundel County Schools, said.
On Thursday, Central Middle School students were sent home with a letter from the principal saying: "Shortly after noon today, two students reported to administrators they had seen one of our students with what they believed to be a gun. We found a loaded BB gun and an unloaded Airsoft pistol in a backpack in his locker."
"Kids do what they want to do nowadays, and I think that's totally wrong," parent Donna Howard said.
Last month, a Southern High School student took a knife and unloaded gun to school. On that same day in Baltimore County, an Owings Mills High School student was found with a BB gun. In September, a teacher at Stemmers Run Middle School wrestled an eighth-grader to the ground after he aimed a gun at his classmates.
And at Perry Hall High School, a student was shot after a classmate fired several rounds in the cafeteria on the first day of school after the summer vacation.
"I don't know what else they can do to keep kids completely safe," parent Curt Gustafson said.
Baltimore County police responded to the gun incidents by giving all school resource officers hand-held medal detectors, while Anne Arundel County developed an app to put students in touch with police quicker. But is it enough?
"We need to have metal detectors put in our children's school," one parent said.
"I know some schools have it mandatory for kids to have backpacks that are clear, see-through," Antonio Henriquez, a high school student, said.
With no plans for new security measures, Anne Arundel County is reinforcing their message that if you see something, say something.
"The worse thing you can do is stay silent about it," Mosier said.
The Central Middle School student faces serious disciplinary action.
The student apparently threatened two other students not to tell anyone that he had a gun.
