Chilling moments unfolded at an East County magnet school yesterday when two juveniles were arrested for bringing a suspected firearm to campus. In a swift response to the potential threat, deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station arrived at STEAM Academy, situated at the 1000 block of Leland Street in Spring Valley, shortly after 11:30 AM, prompted by reports of a possible firearm on school grounds. According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, the school administrators enacted a secured campus status, keeping everyone inside while classroom instruction proceeded behind locked doors.
The seriousness with which school threats are taken manifested as Sheriff's Deputies were to locate and contact the students under suspicion quickly. A search resulted in the finding of a black metal BB gun tucked away in a backpack carried by one of the students. The San Diego County Sheriff's Office declined to release information about the minors involved, consistent with their policies, yet confirmed the arrest of both juveniles under charges of weapon possession on school grounds. The school's secured status was lifted shortly thereafter, bringing a collective sigh of relief to the community.
There is no currently known ongoing threat to the school or the wider Spring Valley area. However, the Sheriff's Office encourages anyone with additional information on the incident to step forward and contact the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station at (619) 660-7090.
