This Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, photo provided by the Philadelphia Police Department shows a stolen .40-caliber handgun that police say a 15-year-old boy tried to bring into a high school, loaded with a dozen rounds, that morning in Philadelphia. Police say the gun was found when the unnamed boy's bag was scanned at Samuel Fels High School, which was placed on lockdown. A police spokesman said the gun had been reported stolen from a car near the home of the student, who had no disciplinary problems or known issues with classmates, but now faces weapons charges. (Philadelphia Police Department via AP)
Republished February 26, 2018 - 1:42 PM
Original Publication Date February 26, 2018 - 10:31 AM
PHILADELPHIA - A student tried to enter a Philadelphia high school Monday with a stolen .40-calibre handgun loaded with a dozen rounds, police said.
Capt. Sekou Kinebrew said it's unclear why the 15-year-old boy had the gun, which was found when the bag was scanned just after 7:30 a.m. at Samuel Fels High School in northeast Philadelphia.
"Right now it doesn't look like he was up there to settle a grudge or anything like that," Kinebrew said.
Kinebrew said the gun had been reported stolen from a car near the home of the student, who had no disciplinary problems or known issues with classmates. Kinebrew said the boy may have had the gun in the bag to conceal it from his parents.
The school was placed on lockdown. There were no injuries. The student faces weapons charges.
The Philadelphia Police Department regularly responds to reports of guns in schools but that it is "relatively rare" for a student to have an actual firearm, Kinebrew said. A state report tallied four incidents of handgun possession and 38 incidents of BB or pellet gun possession in Philadelphia schools last year.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018