AKRON, Ohio — A 17-year-old student at Firestone CLC in Akron was detained and charged by police after he was found with a loaded gun hours before he was set to attend a basketball game, according to a news release from the Akron Police Department.
The student was at Firestone with the intention of attending the basketball game against Buchtel, which was scheduled for 7 p.m., the release said.
Around 5:30 p.m., the student asked to get something from his locker and was escorted by a school administrator, the release stated. When the student took his coat from the locker, the administrator noticed him “carrying the coat in a manner that aroused her suspicions.”
When the administrator asked for the coat, she immediately noticed a handgun inside the pocket, the release said. The gun was safely secured and turned over to police.
Once officers arrived on scene, they found the student detained inside the principal's office.
The student was taken into custody and transported to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility where he was charged with carrying concealed weapons and illegal conveyance.
The incident did not seem to cause a disturbance to fans arriving for the game.
However, this is the second student in five days to have a weapon at an Akron Public Schools district school. The first was a loaded gun found inside a seventh-grade student’s backpack at Litchfield Community Learning Center.
RELATED: Police find loaded gun inside of 7th grader’s bag at school in Akron
This latest incident also comes as Akron Public Schools teachers have been raising concerns over violence in their buildings and criticizing the administration for not doing enough to protect students and educators.
News 5 spoke with seven teachers, a school counselor, a tutor, and the president of the Akron Education Association, which represents approximately 2,700 educators, including about 1,800 teachers.
On Saturday, Akron Public Schools sent News 5 a safety update regarding the recent concern from parents and teachers.
The update includes having a total of 50 full-time and 13 part-time safety officers, positioning resources officers in middle and school facilities, staggering bell schedules to reduce hallway traffic, among other measures, groups, events and reviews to increase safety at the district.
Read the complete safety plan update below:
APS Safety Plan Update by Wews WebStaff on Scribd
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