Westside Middle School will have increased security Wednesday after a loaded gun was found in a student’s backpack on Tuesday.
The principal called it a very poor decision on the part of the student, who is now facing criminal charges for bringing a loaded gun to school.
The district said a school employee found the gun Tuesday morning while searching unapproved backpacks. Only clear and mesh bookbags are allowed on campus.
Duval School Police arrested the student after finding the gun, and Westside Middle will now have additional screenings as an extra safety precaution for students and staff.
Duval County Public Schools is asking parents to be vigilant and has several steps it wants parents to take before sending their kids to school.
The district said parents should check their child’s backpack and personal belongings before they leave for school.
Parents are also encouraged to talk to students about the serious consequences that can result from situations like this.
All district high schools have weapon detectors installed, but Maddie Rutherford Middle is the only middle school in the district with the detectors. The $7 million upgrade was put in place this school year.
This year, Duval School Police also added a new K-9 that is trained to sniff out firearms. Maverick is the only firearms detection K-9 in Northeast Florida.
It’s unclear if Maverick was at Westside Middle when the gun was found. News4JAX has reached to DCPS hoping to get an answer to that question.