Unloaded gun found in student backpack at Northwestern

An unloaded handgun was found in a backpack being carried by a student at Northwestern High School Monday, the school told parents in an automated phone call.

No threats were made, and no one was injured, the school said.

The weapon was discovered when a student came forward and shared a tip with a staff member and a school resource officer, the school told parents.

A statement from Mychal Frost, spokesperson with the Rock Hill school district, reads: “This morning during PEAK, a student provided a tip to our school resource officer that another student brought a weapon to school. The student was located, and while searching the student a small unloaded handgun was found in his book bag.”

The school resource officer went to a classroom and discovered the handgun, the school said.

The call to parents was made by Principal Hezekiah Massey.

Massey commended the student for coming forward with the tip. He told parents to talk to their children and to urge them: “If you see something, say something.”

Massey said the school handles such situations “very seriously.”

The district statement reads: “The student has been arrested and is currently in custody. All students are safe and the school day is proceeding under a normal schedule at this time. We commend the students who came forward with information that helped us address this situation quickly and safely. No one was threatened with the weapon and no one was hurt, but we take this very seriously.”

According to the district, the student is a juvenile.

This is not the first incident this year involving a weapon in a Rock Hill school.

In September, Tony Alexander Lopez, 18, was accused of having a loaded pistol in his book bag and showing it to another student on the Northwestern High School campus. Lopez was arrested.

“Today’s event serves as a reminder to all of us of the importance that if you see something, please say something,” the Rock Hill school district said. “We are actively working to identify additional physical and human resources to prevent future incidents on campus.”

This story was originally published October 15, 2018 at 2:25 PM with the headline "Unloaded gun found in student backpack at Northwestern."