Loaded Gun in Middle School; Police Arrested the Student in Arizona
Scottsdale; Arizona: An 11-year-old has been taken into custody by Arizona police following the discovery of a loaded handgun inside a classroom on Thursday.
Officers from the Scottsdale Police Department responded to a call at Mountainside Middle School around noon. On Thursday, the department made an announcement.
Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered a fully loaded firearm in one of the classrooms. Afterwards, law enforcement officers conducted a thorough search of the entire premises to ensure no additional weapons were present.
The department stated that interviews with students who may have had information about the incident were conducted after a thorough search of the school.
“Following a security incident, the school implemented a lockdown protocol for a duration of three hours. Once the situation was deemed safe, the students were allowed to leave the premises, albeit slightly later than the usual release time.”
Following the collection of evidence, law enforcement apprehended the 11-year-old individual. Charges have been filed against an individual for multiple offenses related to the possession and handling of prohibited weapons.
The White House has recently unveiled plans to enhance gun storage safety, with a focus on ensuring the safety of children. As part of the proposal, there is a plan to enhance communication with school principals regarding the sharing of additional information on gun safety.
Gun safety campaign groups expressed concern over the ease with which children can access firearms annually.
“Our leaders should be utilizing all available resources to prevent guns from falling into the hands of young people, especially considering that gun violence has become the primary cause of death for this demographic. The Biden-Harris Administration is taking decisive action in this regard, implementing a range of measures that include the most comprehensive guide on secure storage ever issued by the federal government,” stated John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, in a press release on Thursday.
According to estimates from Everytown for Gun Safety, approximately 4.6 million children in the United States reside in households where there is at least one firearm that is unlocked and loaded.