The school was closed (representative photo)
A high school student in Phoenix, USA, was arrested Friday after allegedly taking an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and ammunition hidden in a lunch box. CNN reported. Phoenix police officers said they went to Bostrom High School in Maryvale just before 1 p.m., where they found the student with the shotgun. Officers said they also found ammunition in the student’s backpack and lunch box.
The school was closed “as soon as school officials were notified of the possible weapon on campus,” Phoenix Police Department communications director Donna Rossi told me. NBC news. A spokesperson for the school district said the closure lasted just over an hour.
“We commend those who initially reported the possibility of a gun on school property to adults on campus who immediately called police,” the Phoenix Police Department said in a statement.
The 15-year-old boy, who was not identified because he is a minor, was in police custody as of Saturday, police said in their release. He was charged with two felonies by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, for possession of a firearm and interference with or disruption of an educational institution.
“As we shared on Friday, we received a report from a student that there may be a firearm on campus. Our employees immediately contacted the local police, who arrived on the scene and confirmed that the report was true. The Phoenix Police Department is investigating and we will cooperate fully with their investigation. As a precaution, we will take extra safety measures tomorrow.
As you know, the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority and a joint effort. We would like to thank those who reported the incident to a trusted adult, our staff, and the Phoenix Police Department who quickly arrived on campus. We recognize the seriousness of this situation and the fear and anxiety it causes among our students and staff. We will have social-emotional support available in the school for students and staff who need it,” Principal Michelle Gutierrez de Jimenez said in a statement.
Authorities have not said how the boy obtained the firearm or if there was a known motive for bringing it to school.
AR-15 style rifles have been identified as the weapons used in many of the recent mass shootings in the US, including the mass shooting at a Texas mall earlier this month. The rifles are semi-automatic as they fire one round each time the trigger is pulled and automatically reload for another shot.
