GLADES COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies arrested a 17-year-old student for having a gun and drug paraphernalia at Moore Haven Middle-High School on Tuesday.
In a letter to parents, Superintendent Alice Barfield says deputies conducted a random drug search of student backpacks and a dog was alerted to the suspect's bag.
Deputies searched the bag and found a magazine for a gun and drug paraphernalia. A .45-caliber Glock was later recovered.
The student was arrested and removed from campus.
It was a first, according to one school administrator.
“It never happens here. But people will tell you that in other places, too, ‘it never happens here’," said Brian Greseth, Director of Administrative Services for Glades County Schools.
Greseth says he's glad that deputies found the items when they did.
“Fortunately we were able to get this before anything could happen," he said.
The incident was enough to warrant some extra police presence during Tuesday night's basketball game at the school.
“We decided to have an extra person at the basketball game tonight just in case of any retaliation or anything like that," Greseth explained.
But he said the threat of retaliation is minimal and that the school remains secure.
“It’s been very very quiet, so we’re not expecting really anything," said Greseth.
He also pledged to parents that he and other Glades County school officials would do everything they could to keep things safe.
“You can count on us keeping your children safe at school. We are very diligent about listening and finding out about things and taking care of things before they happen.
"Being proactive is the way we want to stay," said Greseth.
