Sheboygan police: 13-year-old boy arrested after unloaded firearm found in his backpack at school
SHEBOYGAN -- A 13-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday morning, Oct. 1 after police said an unloaded firearm was found inside his backpack at Farnsworth Middle School on Union Avenue near 11th Street.
Police responded around 9:30 a.m. after school officials contacted them to report they had noticed a student smelled like marijuana. Officers also detected an odor of marijuana coming from the boy, and it was believed he was probably in possession of marijuana. The firearm was found during a search of his backpack.
The boy told police he had no intention of using the firearm at school, or to harm anybody. Police said no one reported any threats from the boy.
An investigation revealed the firearm had been stolen from a friend's house.
Charges of possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor, possession of a firearm in a school zone, possession of drug paraphernalia, and burglary were referred by police.
Police said this in a statement:
"The safety of our students is a top priority for both the Sheboygan Area School District and the SPD. We encourage people to continue to have conversations with your children about the importance of reporting any unsafe or suspicious behavior and also about the potential consequences for participating in criminal behavior that creates fear in our schools."