A routine morning security check at White Station High School in East Memphis turned serious on Thursday when a student's backpack set off an alert at the front entrance. A security officer searched the student and found a black BB gun and a knife inside the bag. Memphis police say the student now faces a possible 180-day suspension, and the student told officers he brought the items for protection.
How the items were found
According to school officials, a security officer stationed at the main entrance was running backpacks through a walk-through metal detector when an imprint of what appeared to be unauthorized items showed up on one student's bag. That prompted a closer search, which turned up the BB gun and the knife. Both items were confiscated on the spot, as reported by Action News 5.
Recent security scares at White Station
This is not the first time White Station's campus has dealt with safety concerns. The school was briefly placed on lockdown in February 2025 after a suspicious person alert, an episode that helped keep the spotlight on entrance screening and on-site security officers, according to a report on the brief lockdown.
Discipline and next steps
Memphis police told investigators the student could face a 180-day suspension under district rules, and the confiscated BB gun and knife will be handled by authorities. The student said he brought the items "for protection," according to Action News 5.
