A 14-year-old Morgan High School student was arrested Monday after allegedly punching another student during a campus fight, then pulling a knife from his pocket and following one of the students involved. A school resource deputy stepped in, disarmed the teen, and took him into custody without further incident, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The fight broke out around 7:57 a.m. at Aquilla J. Morgan High School in Wimauma, according to the Tampa Free Press, when several students got into a physical altercation. The student, identified by the outlet as Edrik Allen, is accused of hitting another student during the brawl before drawing the knife and trailing after one of the kids caught up in the fight. The incident involved a knife.
The deputy's response ended the confrontation before it escalated further. Sheriff Chad Chronister credited the quick intervention, saying, “This could have ended in serious injury, or worse, if not for our school resource deputy's quick action,” per the Tampa Free Press account of the arrest. The deputy confiscated the knife and arrested the teen on scene, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Charges and the Sheriff's Warning
Allen was booked on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon on school property, and battery, the Tampa Free Press reported. Chronister added a blunt warning for students and families, stating that “weapons have no place on school campuses” and that anyone who brings a weapon onto a campus or threatens another student with one will be arrested. The same report notes that the investigation remains active, and no further details about the incident's origin or any injuries from the fight have been released.
It has not been confirmed whether the student is being charged as an adult. Under Florida Statute 790.115, willfully and knowingly possessing a qualifying weapon on school property is a third-degree felony.
A Newer Campus With a Growing Footprint
Morgan High School opened as Hillsborough County Public Schools' 29th high school, according to a ribbon-cutting announcement from the district. The campus has since drawn renewed attention following this week's arrest, which comes as Hillsborough County schools continue to grapple with weapons incidents on campus.
It is not the only recent case in the county. Tampa police arrested a 15-year-old Robinson High School student earlier this year after a school resource officer recovered a loaded handgun during an administrative search, according to WFLA. That student did not make any threats toward the school, staff, or other students, the station reported, and he was charged with possession of a firearm on school property and minor in possession of a firearm.
