An 18-year-old Monona Grove High School student was taken into custody Thursday after a social-media tip about a possible gun on campus led school staff and the district’s school resource officer straight to the teen. Police say there was a brief struggle when they tried to detain the student, but no one was hurt, and a loaded handgun found in a backpack quickly turned a tense moment into a full-blown criminal investigation.
According to Spectrum News, the school resource officer was tipped off by a social-media post suggesting a student had brought a firearm to school. Staff and officers confronted the teen, who denied having a weapon before that brief struggle broke out. Once the student was subdued and arrested, authorities transported the teen to the Dane County Jail.
WMTV reports that officers later searched the student’s backpack and found a Glock 9mm handgun that was fully loaded, with a round already in the chamber. The station notes that the gun had been reported stolen from the City of Madison and identifies the arrested student as Derrick Deonte Davis, adding that he now faces multiple felony counts tied to the weapon and other alleged offenses.
Legal implications
Monona Police say the teen is facing several charges, including felony possession of a firearm in a gun-free school zone, felony bail jumping, resisting or obstructing an officer, and receiving stolen property. Possession of a firearm in a school zone falls under Wis. Stat. § 948.605 and is categorized as a Class I felony under state law, according to FindLaw. Those kinds of counts can bring serious prison time and fines if convicted, and the student could also be looking at separate school discipline on top of any criminal penalties.
Officials' response
In a statement quoted by Spectrum News, Monona Police Chief Brian Chaney credited the “quick action” of the original tipster, school staff, and law enforcement with keeping students and employees safe. The department says the investigation is still active and has not released further details about how the gun ended up on school grounds.
A familiar worry
This is not the first weapons scare linked to Monona Grove High School. In December 2024, WMTV reported that a handgun was discovered in the high school parking lot and a person was arrested in that case. Local officials have repeatedly stressed that school resource officers, staff training, and community tips are crucial tools for responding quickly when a report like this comes in.
Monona Police say they are continuing to investigate Thursday’s incident and are asking anyone with additional information to contact the department’s non-emergency line at (608) 222-0463, as listed by the City of Monona.
