COLUMBUS – A nine-year-old who brought a handgun to school Wednesday will not be charged because of his age but a teenager will not get off so easy.
No injuries were reported in either incident but police are using the two incidents as reminders to parents to keep guns at home locked up and out of the hands of children.
LOADED GUNS TO SCHOOL: (Parents/guardians we can't sat it enough-lock up your weapons. Keep your family & others safe.)
A 9yo boy brought a loaded 9mm Walther PPS to Duxberry Park Alternative School yesterday. Today a 17yo junior had a loaded 380 Cobra at Northland High School. pic.twitter.com/Xkuap8cGGY— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) February 14, 2019
A student at Duxberry Park Alternative School told staff members Wednesday that another student had a firearm, according to investigators with the Columbus police Gun Crimes Unit.
Staff members found a 9mm Walther pistol in a bathroom and took it to the office until police arrived.
The boy, who was not charged because of his age, told police that he found the firearm at home.
A 17-year-old Northland High School student was charged with possession of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone after a handgun was found in his locker Thursday, unit investigators said.
At about 9:00 a.m., a teacher over heard the suspect ask another student if he could put a gun, which was in his locker, in the other student’s car, police said.
After the teacher notified the vice principal, the vice principal and the school resource officer opened the locker and the vice principal felt what he thought was a gun in the pocket of a jacket inside the locker.
Police said the vice principal and officer took the jacket to the principal’s office where the officer removed a loaded .380 Cobra automatic out of the jacket.
The student was arrested and claimed that he got the gun from another student on the street who asked the suspect to keep it in his locker. He told police he put the gun in the locker and gave the other student his locker combination but, when the other student did not pick up the gun, he asked if he could keep the gun in the third student’s car.
The investigation continues.