Gun Taken To School, HCPSS Student Now Faces Charges: Police

Columbia MD

16 December, 2021

2:24 PM

Description

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A 15-year-old boy has been charged with taking a gun into Reservoir High School Monday. According to school staff, the student left the school without permission to get fast food, he said. When he returned to the school at around 12:30 p.m., staff followed protocol, which requires them to search his bag upon returning. When they advised him of the search, he left the school again and was seen by a witness in the area dropping an object in the woods. A staff member located the object the student discarded, which was a loaded handgun, and the staff member reported the incident to police. The student is being charged with possession of a handgun on his person and on school property, according to the Howard County Police Department. There have been no reports that the student made any threats or that there were any problems leading up to the incident, the police department and the school said. Investigators determined that the handgun was unregistered and had not been reported stolen. They are working to determine how the student obtained the weapon. Police searched his home in Laurel and found no additional evidence or weapons. The investigation is ongoing. HCPSS Superintendent Michael Martirano reassured parents that students and staff were safe and not at risk. "Considering recent school shootings and other events that have impacted schools nationally, including Monday marking the anniversary of the tragic Sandy Hook incident, I know that many of you are feeling anxious. I want to assure you that HCPSS takes all reports and threats seriously and will continue to work cooperatively with public safety and other agencies to ensure the safety of all of our students and staff. HCPSS will provide additional student support and security assistance at RHS to help students and staff who may have questions or require social-emotional support. Staff also are available at every HCPSS school for students who may need additional assistance," Martirano said. Martirano also asked parents for their help. "Over the last several weeks, we have seen an increase in threats of violence on social media as well as incidents of physical violence in our schools. Please talk to your children about the seriousness of threats of violence and have conversations at home about how they may be feeling. If you have weapons in your home, please secure them so that our children do not have access. We have mental health and student well-being supports in our schools and community, and want to provide students every opportunity to receive these supports. Ensuring our community remains safe is incumbent upon all of us and I'm asking for your partnership and support," Martirano said.