POINCIANA, Fla. – An 18-year-old student was arrested after he brought a firearm to Poinciana High School on Tuesday, sparking a lockdown, according to the sheriff.
Poinciana High School was placed on lockdown due to a “suspicious incident,” but it was later lifted, sheriff’s officials initially said.
“The lockdown is precautionary. All students and staff are safe. No weapon has been found on campus,” the district announced earlier.
During a news conference on Tuesday evening, Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez said that deputies learned during the “early hours of the school day” that the school’s dean had called Kori McBride, 18, into his office.
“(McBride) was called into the dean’s office due to the faculty smelling cannabis and wanting to search the student,” Lopez stated. “It’s important to note that this student is 18 years old and an adult.”
In his office, the dean searched McBride’s belongings and found something that felt like a weapon in the student’s backpack, Lopez explained.
“He feels something heavy and hears something clinking, like a metal-like sound,” Lopez added. “He suspects it’s a gun inside (McBride’s) backpack.”
But before the dean could continue the search, McBride fled the campus with his backpack, which sparked Tuesday’s lockdown, Lopez said.
Lopez announced that deputies were eventually able to apprehend McBride.
“While speaking with him, a good citizen comes up and says, ‘Hey, I saw him put something into the bushes,’” Lopez recounted.
Thanks to the witness, deputies were able to find a handgun wrapped in a sweater that belonged to McBride, according to Lopez.
“There was a firearm in a backpack at Poinciana High School today, with this individual admitted that he brought it on campus,” Lopez said.
Lopez also said that investigators reached out to McBride’s mother, who was “very uncooperative.” However, no previous criminal record has been found for McBride.
According to the sheriff’s office, McBride was arrested and faces the following charges:
- Possession of a firearm on school grounds
- Tampering with evidence
- Disturbing a school function
- Other misdemeanor charges
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