YUBA CITY, Calif — Two 14-year-old Yuba City High School (YCHS) students were arrested after an onsite police officer found one student in possession of a handgun and ammunition and another with ammunition.
At around 10:40 a.m. a Yuba City High School student told school officials that a 14-year-old student had a handgun in his backpack, according to a Yuba City Police Department press release.
Yuba City High School went into lockdown on Wednesday after administrators received the report that a student brought a weapon to school, according to an email written by Yuba City High Principal, Cy Olsen to YCHS families.
The onsite police officer detained a 14-year-old student who police said admitted he had a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun and a loaded magazine. The student told police another 14-year-old student gave him the gun at the beginning of the school day and asked him to hold onto it, according to the Yuba City Police Department.
The onsite officer located the other student who police said had a loaded magazine. He confirmed to the officer that he had asked the other student to hold onto the gun for him.
The student said he did not intend to use the gun, according to police.
Both students were arrested and booked into the Yuba-Sutter Juvenile Hall for charges that included carrying a weapon on school grounds and carrying a concealed weapon.
Once law enforcement gave the all-clear, the lockdown was lifted and students returned home from a regularly scheduled minimum day.
"District policy and state law are very clear in cases involving weapons. A student who does this is immediately removed and the District takes action to permanently remove the student from the school," Olsen wrote in the email. "We are following these strict policies to the letter, and we will cooperate actively with law enforcement as they investigate this matter fully."
Law enforcement said this appears to be an isolated incident and the Yuba City Police Department is still investigating the situation, according to a press release by the Yuba City Police Department.
Yuba City High School students and parents react
"It got crazy... the whole school went on lockdown, police here, everyone was screaming and stuff,” said Emiliano Villarreal, a student at the school.
Lauren McCall, another student at the school, said she saw kids running down the halls during the commotion.
"And we just didn’t know what to do. We’re just kind of sitting there with the lights off, and we’re just all on our phones like texting our moms. I texted my mom, 'Hey, we’re in a lockdown, I love you and stuff like that,' McCall said.
James Swanson, who has a student that attends the school, said his son came to him on Tuesday afraid to head to campus.
"So, I had contacted the school to confirm the threat, and they did confirm it and that they had taken steps and precautions,” Swanson said.
He kept his son home Tuesday and again on Wednesday.
"The school district needs to be transparent and honest with the parents,” Swanson said. “I would rather know, then that gives the parents the right to take the proper precautions and steps to protect our children.”
The school district said they are taking action to permanently remove the students from the school.
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