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School police confiscate five handguns in past week
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
School police have confiscated five handguns in four days from high school students and from adults picking up students.
The rash of gun confiscations -- all occurring without incident -- is a surprise to the Clark County School District Police Department, Lt. Ken Young said. School police confiscated three handguns from the beginning of school in August through January, he said.
"What a difference a few days make," he said, noting that police usually don't see such an increase until March, when the weather warms and student activity increases.
Overall for the school year, police have confiscated eight handguns and 22 air-powered pellet guns, which students carry because of their resemblance to real guns, Young said. Last school year at this time, confiscations totaled seven guns and 11 pellet guns.
The week's confiscations were mostly the result of tips from students and adults, he said.
The first occurred Monday at Centennial High School in North Las Vegas. Police acting on a tip found a 9 mm handgun on a 16-year-old student.
On Wednesday, police noticed a man at Hickey Elementary School in east Las Vegas becoming impatient with traffic while picking up a student. Upon approaching his car, they discovered a .40-caliber handgun in plain sight and arrested him, Young said.
That same day, police at Del Sol High School received a tip that a 16-year-old student had a handgun. But they didn't find one on him at the school east of McCarran International Airport. With his parents' permission, they searched his bedroom and found it.
The Clark County district attorney's office will decide whether to file charges against the teenager, Young said. Even if charges aren't filed, the district has a zero-tolerance policy for weapons on school campuses. Expulsions occur 99.9 percent of the time, he said.
On Thursday, police stumbled onto a loaded .32-caliber handgun while searching a student at North Las Vegas' Cheyenne High School whom they suspected of stealing property from another student.
The week's last confiscation occurred Thursday evening at Legacy High School in North Las Vegas when an adult reported that someone picking up a student had a gun. The tip turned up a .25-caliber handgun on the 29-year-old man who was also a felon, Young said.
Suspects' identities will be released as charges are filed, he said.
School police haven't confiscated so many guns in such a short time since six years ago at the height of a new gang's activity, he said. There is no indication of that being the case here, and neither the tipsters nor gun carriers gave indications of intended targets, he said.
Reasons given for carrying the weapons were protection or wanting to be cool, which is the reason police confiscate so many pellet guns, he said. A recent confiscation revealed that a student was carrying a gun for protection while walking to and from school because of problems the student had experienced, he said.
The guns are sometimes stolen but usually belong to family members who didn't realize the gun was gone, Young said.
Clark County high schools don't use metal detectors daily. They use them only at events, such as basketball games and dances.
Young said research shows that permanent metal detectors have little effect because students learn ways around them. Instead, the district puts two officers at each of its 49 high schools for a permanent presence. Roving officers check in with the 59 middle schools and 217 elementary schools.
Since the last rash of gun confiscations six years ago, activity has been on the decline. Police, now on heightened alert, want to keep it that way but need the community's help, Young said. He called for parents to check children's backpacks, cars and bedrooms routinely.
"We need everybody to be vigilant," he said.
Those with tips about weapons on school campuses can either call dispatch at 799-5411 or speak anonymously at 799-0228.
Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.
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CCSDPD FTW!
This is America. We do not need a "reason" or permission to follow and use the law of the land as it is written. Papers please. Do you have a reason for going to that church? If you are going to church I have reason to believe you have done something wrong. You are going to grandmothers for Thanksgiving? Do you have a good reason to do so? There is no "reason" for workers and conscript to have computers, tobacco, beer, own property, and eat more than 2400 calories a day.
Oscar.Jones hit the nail on the head. There is no legitimate reason for any student to carry a gun at school. All you Second Amendment people who think otherwise have no understanding of the adolescent mind. Far too often, kids react to situations without considering the consequences of their actions, and at times, anger gets in the way of rational thinking. Our schools should provide a safe environment where learning can take place, not battlegrounds! One of the interesting things I've noticed from the messages I've read here is that no one seems to see any relationship between inappropriate student behavior (i.e., carrying weapons) and student performance. If what Oscar points out is true, and I believe it is, teachers don't have much of a chance to bring test scores up for students who arrive at school to sell or buy drugs. Furthermore, students who arrive at school carrying guns for "protection" certainly have more than learning on their mind. Metal detectors are not the solution. What we need are more vigilant parents who commit to taking an interest in their child's safety, behavior, and academic progress.
P.S.: I'm pleased that some of the children have the courage to stand up to Nazi Type Authorities they stand on their own two feet can fend for themselves, they are Americans. America need children of this caliber, we have enough hand wringing wimps in this country. A country so wimpy that cannot stop an invasion of bean eaters on foot and with the best weapons and money in the world can't beat a 50 year old AK-47's in the back of a Toyota pickup. An America at the end of it's chain taunted prowlers.
I am always told that if I don't like the law I am free to try and change it, but until I do I'm to follow the law. I suggest that the States, Cities and Schools follow the law of the land as stated in the U.S. Constitution or change it. Are not theses students Civil Rights being violated? They try and impose nanny state rules as laws. They have outlawed tag, dodge ball, hats, certain colors, aspirin, sugar, fat, implemented uniforms,, lock downs, ethnic identification, metal detectors, armed school police, cameras, pedophile teachers, liberals only teachers, God and removed the windows from schools. Perhaps the school children do need to be armed and ready? Where are the group of do rights with the SAVE THE CHILDREN banners?
lbfromly I forgot about contractors. They sure wouldn't miss to make $$$$$.
Here comes the humungous contract for metal detectors. Let's see which FOTSB (Friend Of The School Board) gets the contract.
They did not intend to use them unless they were forced to. Like for instance if another student "disrespected them" or "flashed an enemy gang's sign" or some other bs like that. He11 these kids don't even need an excuse to use guns anymore. They just do it for the thrill. Many, not all, young people whom I come into contact with disgust me with their beligerance and stupidity. Sagging pants ranks up there pretty high too.
I'm sure they "didn't intend to use them" as the school stated last week.
I salute to CCSD Police. Confiscated peacefully? We will know more about new gang activities if any, Thanks for innocent students.