ELLETTSVILLE, Ind. — A 7th grader at Edgewood Junior High School was taken into custody Thursday morning after police said he brought a loaded gun to the school.
Just after 7:30 a.m., Ellettsville police said a student reported to a high school administrator that a student with a gun was on the bus to school.
“It was reported to the administrators at the High School and then immediately relayed to the Junior High School,” Ellettsville Police Chief Jimmie Durnil said. “Within five or six minutes of getting that information the student was located, he was searched by the school resource officer and the weapon was found.”
Chief Durnil said the weapon was a .380 caliber handgun and was stolen. As for a motive, Durnil said the student told his offers that he “thought it was cool.”
“It could’ve been tragic,” Durnil said. “We’re just so thankful that this young lady made the right decision.”
The student with the gun was taken into custody and sent to a juvenile facility.
This incident is the second time in less than a week that a student has brought a gun to school in central Indiana. On Friday, a 17-year-old was found with a .40 caliber Glock at Ben Davis High School, along with 15 bullets and a strap accessory.
Julie Quesenbery with the Indiana School Resource Officers Association said she’s seen a steady increase in students showing up at school with guns.
“It’s got to be parents staying vigilant,” Quesenbery said. “It’s an easy thing for parents to keep their own firearms locked up. that’s an easy thing, we can’t get the easy things wrong.”
Quesenbery said officers in school can’t do it alone. Along with keeping firearms out of the hands of children, she said parents need to check in on their kids.
“Watching your kids, paying attention to what they’re doing, who they’re hanging out with and get to know these things,” Quesenbery advised.
Elletsville Police said it will be conducting extra patrols at the schools over the next week.
Chief Durnil said after countless school shootings across the country, he hopes everyone will continue to speak up if they see anything suspicious.
“We know that we’re not gonna be exempt necessarily from that,” Durnil said. “So we know we have to keep our eyes open and our ears open.”
Police said the case will be forwarded to the Monroe County Prosecutor to decide if any formal charges will be filed. Those could include possession of handgun on school property and dangerous possession of a firearm.
