COLUMBUS – An 11-year-old and two 14-year-olds were detained by police after guns were found at two Columbus schools Thursday.
An 11-year-old Hilltonia Middle School student was charged a delinquency count of conveying a deadly weapon into a school safety zone and carrying a concealed weapon after an unloaded handgun was discovered in a student’s locker, Det. David Bucy, of the Gun Crimes Unit said.
School officials told officers who responded to the report of a gun in the school, located at 2345 W. Mound Street, at 11:30 a.m. that staff members had received a tip from a student that a gun was inside the building, Bucy said.
After an unloaded handgun was recovered from a locker, Bucy says the boy was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters where he was questioned by detectives and the charges were forwarded to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.
At almost the same time of day, Columbus patrol officers found a loaded handgun that had been discarded near South High School, 1160 Ann Street (Columbus Public Schools), detectives said.
The school resource officer worked with school officials to identify two 14-year-old students who were involved.
The investigation determine that the handgun had been brought into the school and then removed and thrown away nearby.
One of the teens was taken to headquarters and interviewed by detectives with the Gun Crimes Unit.
A delinquent charges of conveying a deadly weapon into a school safety zone was forwarded to the Juvenile Division of the prosecutor’s office, police said.
The investigation remains open in regards to a second 14-year-old suspect, who may possible face charges of conveying a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence..
Neither of the firearms had been reported as stolen at the time of their recovery, detectives said.