There will be an added police presence at Todd County Central High School for the rest of the week after a student was found to have a loaded handgun in the school Wednesday.
Todd County Schools Superintendent Mark Thomas said students made staff aware of a student with a gun around 11:30. He said two of the county’s four school resource officers were already on campus and made contact with the student, who was removed from the building. A search of the 17-year-old student determined he had a loaded handgun in a fanny pack.
Officers with the sheriff’s office and the Elkton Police Department took the juvenile into custody and removed the student from school property. According to the report from the Todd County Sheriff’s Office, the juvenile fought with officers and school personnel and at one point, tried to pull the loaded gun from the fanny pack. During the struggle, Deputy Chris Driskill was able to get the weapon away from the juvenile. The report said Deputy Driskill was injured in the fight.
Thomas said the school remained on a soft lockdown after the student was removed.
click to download audioThe superintendent went on to say there will be an added police presence at the school and at school activities for the remainder of the week.
click to download audioThomas said school officials and police were still working to determine why the student had the gun at school and if specific people were the intended target.
click to download audioThomas credited vigilant students with reporting the gun to staff members and then police and staff training for removing both the student and the weapon without incident.
click to download audioThe juvenile was charged with possession of a weapon on school property, third-degree assault, and resisting arrest.
