LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — School resource deputies in Polk County arrested a 16-year-old girl on Wednesday for bringing a loaded gun to school.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, students at Tenoroc High School in Lakeland saw the freshman girl with a gun tucked in her waistband and reported her to school administrators.
The administrators then contacted a school resource deputy who found the girl in class and searched her. According to the deputy, she did not have the gun on her in the classroom. The girl claimed she didn’t have a backpack, but a teacher in the classroom pointed out the bag to the deputy.
During a search of the backpack, the school resource deputy found a 9 mm handgun with one round in the magazine and one round in the chamber. An arrest report says the serial number was scratched off the gun.
After the deputy found the gun, he says the girl became aggressive and started cursing and yelling at everyone.
She was arrested and is facing several charges including possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent, possession of a weapon on school grounds and possession of a concealed firearm. The teen is currently on probation for battery on a law enforcement officer and assault.
“The school staff and our school resource deputy did an outstanding job quickly locating and confiscating the weapon,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “Given the seriousness of this student’s criminal history and current charges, we are going to do everything we can to make sure the criminal justice system holds her accountable.”
The teenager’s criminal history includes arrests for battery, battery on law enforcement and battery on an education employee.
Polk County School Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd released this statement:
We thank Tenoroc High’s students, staff and school resource deputy for acting quickly when reports surfaced of a weapon on campus. Through their efforts, the firearm was recovered before anyone could be threatened or injured. We will continue to cooperate with our partners in law enforcement to ensure our schools are safe places for learning.”
