Monday morning, around 9:30 a.m., an 18-year-old West Geauga High School student was arrested for being in possession of a firearm while on school grounds, according to Chester Township Police.
The high school was placed on lockdown while a thorough investigation was conducted by law enforcement.
According to police, West Geauga Middle School sheltered in place while the investigation at the high school was completed for cautionary reasons.
No threats were made and it was determined that no other students were involved during the incident.
The students were dismissed from the high school for the rest of the day. No other threats were made to any other buildings in the West Geauga school district, police said.
According to police, the Chester Township Police Department, Russell Township Police Department and Geauga County Sheriff's Office, including its explosives K9, conducted a security sweep of the building and determined the premises were safe.
"West Geauga High School faculty and students should be commended for their response to this situation and their calmness throughout," the Chester Township Police said.
The West Geauga Schools are closed tomorrow, it is unknown if it is related to today's incident.
West Geauga Education Association President Dan Reich gave the following statement regarding the incident:
On Monday, April 3, 2023, a West Geauga High School student was taken into custody when a gun was found in his possession. The West Geauga Education Association and its teachers are grateful for the brave actions of the student who reported this concern as well as the quick response by students, staff, administration and law enforcement that prevented a tragedy in our district.
Regrettably, our students, staff, and administration train for these kinds of situations regularly. The incident reminds us and the community of ongoing safety concerns for students and educators. Many things went right to stop a potential shooting. However, the experience also shows where we have room to improve. WGEA is taking seriously concerns raised by those involved and intends to work collaboratively with the district administration to refine our emergency plans and ensure solutions that work for everyone.
Students and educators must feel safe in our schools in order to make them great and effective learning environments. We appreciate the district’s, law enforcement’s, and community’s ongoing support as we prepare to welcome students back into our classrooms and move forward together.
The incident is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Chester Township Police Department at 440-729-1234.
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