Peoria student arrested for bringing loaded gun to high school
Aug 19, 2019, 2:00 PM
(Google Street View)
(Google Street View)
PHOENIX – A West Valley high school student was arrested Monday morning for allegedly bringing a loaded gun to school, authorities said.
Administrators at Centennial High School initially caught the 16-year-old boy smoking marijuana wax in a restroom, according to a Peoria Police Department press release.
After being taken to the school office, the boy allegedly told an administrator he had a gun in his backpack.
The school resource officer searched the backpack and found a 9mm handgun with 11 rounds in the magazine.
The student said he was holding the gun for somebody else but wouldn’t identify the person, the release said.
The suspect didn’t make any threats, and the school was never in danger, according to the release.
Police arrested the teen around 10 a.m. and booked him into the Durango juvenile detention facility in Phoenix on weapons and drug charges.
The school sent a letter to parents to let them know what happened.
The letter said a counseling team would be available for students feeling anxious or fearful after hearing about the incident.
“While no threats were made against students, staff or our school, weapons or any item that disrupts the educational process are never allowed on our campus,” the letter said.
Anybody with information about the incident was asked to call the Peoria Unified School District’s Safe School Line at 623-486-6199 or the Peoria Police Department at 623-773-8311.
