Yesterday, a 16-year-old student was arrested at Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa for having a loaded handgun on campus, as per a statement from the Santa Rosa Police detailed on their official social media. The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. after school administrators, investigating suspected gang-related graffiti, searched the student's backpack and discovered an FN 509, 9mm handgun, along with a loaded 24-round magazine within a small satchel.
According to the post by Santa Rosa Police, the school staff immediately detained the student and secured the weapon before law enforcement arrived and took the student into custody. The gun was confirmed to be real and unregistered. The student, whose identity remains undisclosed due to juvenile privacy laws, is now facing multiple charges, including possession of a loaded handgun on school premises and possession of an unregistered handgun.
The student was taken to Juvenile Hall for booking and will be disciplined by school administrators in addition to the legal ramifications. Further emphasizing the zero-tolerance policy for weapons on school grounds, both the Santa Rosa Police Department and Santa Rosa City Schools remind students and parents of the grave consequences of weapon possession. Administrators and police stress the importance of a joint effort to maintain a secure campus environment. In their statement, the Police Department advised parents to discuss with their children the potential danger and ramifications of weapon possession, and they encouraged individuals to report any safety concerns through proper channels, including the STOPit app.
