HOUSTON – A Houston high school student was arrested Wednesday after being found carrying a loaded handgun.
Houston Independent School District officials said the 14-year-old boy was arrested at 10:48 a.m. at Sterling High School, 11625 Martindale.
District officials said 10 minutes earlier, HISD police officers received a tip from Houston police that the student used the weapon to threaten an individual off-campus on Tuesday afternoon.
The student was taken into custody without incident and the gun was confiscated.
The student, whose name was not released because of his age, told HISD police he was carrying the weapon to protect himself from gang members in the neighborhood surrounding the school. Officials did not reveal how the student got the weapon.
"The solution to this is that we have a school people feel safe in and they won't have to bring a weapon. There's not a gang problem here. There's not a level of concern, but at the same time, when someone does bring a gun on campus, it is a major problem. I'm glad it was addressed quickly," student Lonnie Hilson said.
Appropriate disciplinary action is being taken and the incident has been referred to the Harris County District Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution, HISD said.
Sterling High School parents were informed about the incident by phone.