Two Palm Beach County school police officers are being singled out for praise after they disarmed a man who had illegally entered Lake Worth Community High School with a loaded handgun earlier this school year. No one on campus was hurt, and school leaders say the quick response likely prevented a possible tragedy.
According to WPTV, Sgt. Frank Bialaszewski and Officer Johan Lorenzo moved in after a student reported a possible armed person on campus. The outlet reports the suspect had a pistol with about 15 rounds, including one in the chamber, and that officers also recovered roughly a dozen loose rounds before taking the person into custody.
Student Tip And FortifyFL Reporting
The officers credit a student tip for setting the response in motion, a reminder that speaking up can change how a tense situation plays out. Florida’s statewide FortifyFL reporting system routes tips to school officials and local law enforcement, and was created in the aftermath of the Parkland massacre, according to FortifyFL.
What The Law Says
Bringing a firearm onto school property is explicitly illegal under Florida law and can be charged as a felony. Section 790.115 makes it a crime to possess or exhibit a weapon on school grounds during school hours, with narrow exceptions for law enforcement and certain authorized programs, per the Florida Senate.
Recognition For Campus Response
Sgt. Bialaszewski and Officer Lorenzo were nominated for a LEO Award for their actions, although both brushed off hero talk and told WPTV they were simply doing what they are trained to do. “It doesn’t correlate. We sign up to do this job,” Sgt. Bialaszewski said. Both officers also emphasized that building day to day rapport with students helps them spot potential trouble sooner.
The episode underscores how student tip lines and a visible campus police presence can work together to stop threats before they escalate, and how tools like FortifyFL give students and community members a direct channel to share concerns with authorities.
