GILBERT, AZ — A student has been arrested after being found with a gun at Mesquite High School on Thursday morning.
According to Gilbert Public Schools, officials were originally alerted to a photo circulating on social media of a student on campus in possession of a gun.
The district says it immediately worked with Gilbert police to identify the student and investigate. A search was conducted, and a gun was reportedly located in a student's backpack. The 15-year-old student was arrested, and the gun was confiscated by police.
The student's identity hasn't been released. It's unclear if the weapon was loaded at the time it was confiscated.
Gilbert Public Schools says its governing board has recently approved the implementation of weapons detectors at all GPS high school campuses.
"At Gilbert Public Schools, we take the safety and well-being of our students and staff extremely seriously. To promote safety on our campuses we continue to add to our wide range of safety and security tools, processes, and strategies, including advanced security camera systems, additional security staff, secured entrances, and campus video intercom systems at all school entrances. As an additional safety measure for our campuses Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board recently approved the implementation of weapons detectors at all GPS high school campuses. We will begin the rollout this week, with all high schools having weapons detectors and appropriate processes in place before the end of this school year. We greatly appreciate the cooperation and support of our parents, families, and community, as we continue to take action to promote the safety of our students."
Gilbert PD says the student will face several charges, including: minor in possession of a firearm, possession of a deadly weapon on school grounds, disruption of an educational institution, and possession of stolen property
This incident comes just one day after a 19-year-old man was arrested for having a gun at Freedom Elementary School in Buckeye.
