A juvenile suspect has been taken into custody after allegedly sneaking a firearm into a high school football game at Whitehaven High School. The incident occurred just before the commencement of the game, with officers responding to a call at approximately 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening, authorities said. Breaking school policy, which prohibits backpacks at school events, the suspect reportedly jumped the fence carrying a black backpack, Action News 5 reported.
Upon witnessing the individual seated in the bleachers with the backpack, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ School Resource Officer (SRO) approached and conducted a search. According to the SRO’s statement to the Memphis Police Department, they discovered a handgun inside the backpack, loaded with bullets in the chamber. The SRO described the weapon as a black .357 Taurus Magnum revolver, FOX13 Memphis disclosed.
Following the finding, the juvenile was arrested and escorted to the Shelby County Youth Justice and Educational Center. Memphis Police have since taken the gun and ammunition into evidence, as the investigation proceeds to further understand the minor's intent and to possibly reveal any additional concerns, Local Memphis reported.
The Memphis Police Department and Memphis-Shelby County Schools have not released further details on the suspect's motives. However, the incident has raised additional security concerns among parents and community members alike, as it comes to further question the measures in place to protect students and attendees at school functions. The situation remains under active investigation by local authorities, as they seek to not only administer justice but also to safeguard the community from potential future incidents, as voiced in reports obtained by each of the news outlets covering the story.
