A teenager is in custody after he allegedly brought a loaded gun to school and then tried to flee the scene when police arrived.
Delaware State Police say they received a tip that a 17-year-old student at John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, Delaware was possibly carrying a handgun inside his backpack.
Police say a State Trooper and school staff found the teen inside a first floor classroom while class was in session. The teen was immediately separated from the backpack and escorted into the main hallway, according to investigators.
Investigators say the Trooper secured the backpack, which was located on the seat of the desk where the teen had been sitting. The teen then allegedly fled on foot down the hallway and ran out of the school into a wooded area.
Police say the Trooper found a fully loaded Kel-Tec 9mm Luger semiautomatic handgun with an obliterated serial number inside the teen's bag.
State Troopers and New Castle County Police conducted an extensive search for the teen in the surrounding area. Around 2:35 p.m., Troopers found the teen on Tapley Lane in the Limestone Acres development, according to officials. He was taken into custody without incident.
Police say there was no immediate threat or danger to the safety of the students or staff during the ordeal.
Further investigation and interviews revealed that the teen was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm, according to police.
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The teen was charged with possession of a firearm, resisting arrest and other related offenses. We have not revealed the teen’s identity because officials have not yet decided whether he will be charged as an adult.
