Gun at Kenosha Indian Trail High School, student charged: police
KENOSHA, Wis. - Kenosha police on Wednesday announced charges have been filed against the 16-year-old student who had a gun to Indian Trail High School and Academy earlier this week.
Police said the school resource officer received information on Monday morning about a Snapchat post that showed the student with a gun. It prompted an investigation between the resource officer and school officials.
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Kenosha Unified School District board member Sabrina Landry said, while it all happened on Monday, administrators did not notify school board members until Tuesday.
"We were notified about it just a few minutes before the public was notified about it," she said.
Indian Trail High School and Academy, Kenosha
The student was located and escorted to an office and searched – but no gun was initially found. Officers twice missed the weapon before they found it. According to KPD, the gun was concealed in a "sensitive area" in a manner that "made it very difficult" for the officers to initially find it.
Landry said that was one of the biggest concerns she's heard from the public.
"If an initial search was done, I don’t understand how the gun wasn’t found," she said. "I understand there’s a slippery slope there because (school resource officers) can only search so much."
The Kenosha Police Department said it is conducting an internal review of the incident to determine if any policy violations and/or training issues exist.
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The latest incident comes less than a month after a 13-year-old brought a fake gun to Roosevelt Elementary School.
"When incidents like this happen, it hits close to home," said Landry.
A KUSD spokesperson said the 16-year-old student did not use the gun to threaten any students or staff. She also said the school district does not have metal detectors.
"Even if KUSD were to get some metal detecting wands, I feel like those would be better than nothing," said Landry.
Kenosha Police Department
Police said the 16-year-old student is now charged with one count of each of:
- Terrorist threats (public panic or fear)
- Possession of a firearm on grounds of a school
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Possession of dangerous weapon by minor
The student is currently detained in a juvenile detention facility awaiting his next court hearing, police said.