TAMPA, Fla. — A 15-year-old is facing multiple charges after being arrested for having loaded guns on the campus of a Tampa-area high school.
Hillsborough Police said the Tampa Police School Resource officer assigned to Blake High School made the arrest after the teen was found to have two loaded guns on school grounds.
Police said a search of students who had been found by school staff to be vaping in the restroom led to the discovery of the two guns.
Blake High School's principal sent a note to parents about the discovery Thursday afternoon. It read in part:
While I know this is very unsettling and scary, I do want to let you know that the student never made any threats. These weapons were found because of our site-based safety procedures.
The student is being arrested by Tampa Police for having a weapon on campus and will face serious charges.
We do not tolerate this, and the student will not be returning to our school.
"The discovery of loaded firearms in the possession of a teen on a school campus is deeply troubling and alarming," said Chief Lee Bercaw. "Our School Resource Officers work tirelessly to maintain a safe learning environment, and they play a vital role in identifying and addressing potential threats before they can escalate. While we are thankful that no one was injured, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of gun safety and that we must all continue working together to prevent such occurrences."
The teen was charged with two counts of possession of a weapon on school grounds and more charges may be pending, Tampa Police said.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
