(WDNews) — A 16-year-old student was detained Thursday morning after a weapon detection system alerted school officials that he attempted to bring a handgun onto the Williamson High School campus, according to law enforcement.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said the student tried to enter the school with a .40-caliber handgun hidden inside his backpack. The weapon detection system flagged the firearm as the student arrived for the school day.
Officials said the teen fled on foot but was quickly apprehended in the school parking lot by the School Resource Officer assigned to the campus.
Mobile Police Department investigators are now handling the case.
Sheriff Paul Burch praised the presence of school resource officers, saying their daily role is critical in preventing dangerous situations.
“We have our SROs at the high schools every morning for students checking in so we can prevent incidents such as this from happening,” Burch said.
No injuries were reported.
