A 16-year-old student was taken into custody at Upson-Lee High School when school personnel found a handgun in his bag during a routine security check. According to the Upson County Sheriff's Office, the incident took place yesterday morning as the student went through the school's OpenGate detection system. FOX 5 Atlanta reports the firearm was a Ruger .380-caliber pistol.
The handgun had been reported as lost within the jurisdiction of the Atlanta Police Department. After discovering the weapon, the student was promptly removed and placed in the custody of a school resource officer and sheriff's deputies. He now faces charges including possession of a weapon on school property, possession of a handgun while under the age of 18, and theft of lost or mislaid property.
"The situation was handled immediately and students and staff were not in danger at any time," school officials assured parents and the community in a statement, as per a report by FOX 5 Atlanta. Reflecting concerns about school safety, the system will reportedly continue to fortify its security protocols. The student, whose identity has not been released due to his age, was being transported to a regional youth detention center in Macon.
Further details from WGXA confirm Sheriff Dan Kilgore's account of the incident, including the make and model of the handgun and the charges the teen is facing. The Upson County School System has emphasized its commitment to student and staff safety, stating that the existing security measures helped to prevent any threat during the incident.
