Two teenagers have been arrested at Plant City High School after a loaded gun was found on campus during an investigation into a reported vehicle burglary. Hillsborough County deputies responded to the incident on Wednesday when a 17-year-old student, identified as Edward Diaz Aguilar, notified authorities that his car had been broken into while parked in the school lot. The school’s surveillance footage confirmed the crime, as reported by WTSP.
During the investigation, Diaz Aguilar admitted to deputies he had brought the loaded gun to school that morning, which the surveillance video showed being stolen from his vehicle. In a development that further complicated matters, another 17-year-old student, Amir Governor, confessed to having forcibly entered Diaz Aguilar's car to steal the gun. According to the FOX 13 News, the stolen firearm was later found inside Governor's backpack by the deputies.
Both students are now facing serious charges. "There is never a circumstance where a weapon should be on a school campus, let alone in the hands of a student. School safety is paramount, and we will continue working with our school partners to ensure that anyone who brings a firearm to school is held fully accountable," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister was quoted in a statement obtained by FOX 13 News. Both students have been charged with possession of a weapon on school property and minor in possession of a firearm, with Governor additionally facing charges for grand theft firearm and armed burglary of a conveyance.
Just days ago, a 15-year-old from Strawberry Crest High School was arrested for bringing a gun and a knife to school, and last month a Spoto High School student was taken into custody after officials received a tip about possession of a gun on campus. "I am grateful for the quick actions of our deputies and school staff," Sheriff Chronister added, as deputies work to handle increasingly frequent cases of firearms brought onto school grounds. The investigation into the Plant City High School incident is still ongoing, according to WTSP.
