HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A 12-year-old Holman Middle School student was detained Friday after he brought a handgun to the West End middle school, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett.
"Additional police are at our school this morning after reports that a student had a weapon on campus," Holman Middle School principal Susan Proffitt wrote in a message to parents. "All students and staff are safe. Administrators and police worked together to move the student to a safe location and recover the weapon."
Henrico Police were called to the school just before 11 a.m. after an officer "called for assistance while attempting to take a student into custody," police and the school officials confirmed.
Officers credited an anonymous tip for leading them to the student. When the school resource officer and administrators confronted the student about the gun, "a struggle ensued," Henrico Police Lt. Matt Pecka said.
That prompted the school resource officer to hit a mayday button for backup.
"We have the ability to call for additional assistance by hitting that [button] on our radios," Pecka explained. "It's a safety feature for officers and it was activated."
Henrico Police was called to Holman Middle School just before 11am after an officer called for assistance while attempting to take a student into custody. A juvenile is now in custody and a firearm was recovered from the belongings. HPD and HCPS are working closely together. pic.twitter.com/U5H6wojVwK
— Henrico Police (@HenricoPolice) January 20, 2023
Police said they recovered a gun from the seventh-grade student's belongings. Crime Insider sources said that gun was loaded.
No shots were fired and there were no injuries.
Pecka said the student was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, possession of a concealed firearm, and underage possession of a firearm. The boy was taken to the Henrico County Juvenile Detention Home, officers said.
The school said the instructional day was continuing and that parents did not need to pick their children up from school.
Police said that after the school was on lockdown it transitioned to "lock-and-teach" mode because of what happened.
An investigation is underway to determine how the child had access to the gun.
"Please take the time to have conversations with your children about the consequences associated with this type of behavior," police wrote in a social media post.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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