Sprague High School in Salem, Oregon, was the scene of a tense, but swiftly handled situation when a 17-year-old student was arrested after a gun was detected in his backpack by metal detectors, according to KATU. The incident, which occurred Tuesday morning around 9:20 a.m., was quickly de-escalated as school staff secured the weapon and detained the student before the arrival of the Salem Police Department.
The metal detectors were part of an effort by Salem-Keizer Public Schools to increase campus safety, a system which, in this instance, proved to be effective. "This added layer of safety allowed us to quickly identify and respond to the firearm, de-escalate the situation and work closely with SPD to ensure our campus remained safe," Principal Chad Barkes said, as reported by KGW. The safety protocols in place ensured that the event did not escalate to a campus lockdown.
The student was taken into custody without incident and brought to the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center. He faces a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. Despite the presence of the firearm, there were no reported threats of harm to students or staff, and no disturbance occurred on campus during the arrest, as KPTV mentioned in their coverage.
