What began as a routine Monday at Lennard High School in Ruskin ended with a 17-year-old student under arrest, after deputies say they found multiple knives and a book tied to the Columbine High School perpetrators in a backpack on campus. No injuries were reported, and classes continued while deputies checked out the situation. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office publicly identified the student late Monday night.
According to a social media post from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, deputies who searched the student's backpack found a kitchen knife with a black handle and an approximately four-inch blade, a pocketknife and "a book related to the Columbine high school perpetrators' diaries." The sheriff's office identified the teen as 17-year-old Valentino Pileggi and said he was charged with possession of a weapon on school property. The post did not say whether any threats were alleged or provide details about Pileggi's custody status.
Legal Consequences
State law and district rules treat weapons on campus as serious offenses that can trigger both criminal penalties and school discipline. Florida Statute 790.115 makes it illegal to possess weapons on school property and outlines penalties for firearms and other weapons, while Hillsborough County Public Schools' code of conduct calls for suspension or expulsion and a referral to law enforcement for weapon violations. For details on penalties and procedures, see the Florida Senate and the district's Student Code of Conduct.
School Safety In Context
Lennard High and other Hillsborough County campuses have seen weapons-related incidents in recent years, which authorities say continue to influence safety protocols and school resource deputy responses. Local outlets have previously reported arrests tied to a pellet gun on campus and a 2022 parking lot shooting involving a weapon in a student's vehicle, incidents that drew increased law enforcement attention to the school. For background reporting, see FOX 13 and the Tampa Bay Times.
What Happens Next
The sheriff's office says Pileggi faces a charge of possession of a weapon on school property and did not list any additional charges in its social media post. School administrators typically move forward with their own discipline process at the same time law enforcement conducts its investigation, and any criminal case would proceed through the juvenile justice system unless prosecutors choose to pursue adult charges. Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Public Affairs Office or the agency's non-emergency line. Contact information is available through teamHCSO Public Affairs.
