FRANKFORT, Ind. — Frankfort High School was placed on lockdown Thursday morning after a student allegedly brought an unloaded handgun on campus.
According to a spokesperson with the school district, a gun fell out of a juvenile male student's waistband during an altercation around 8 a.m.
Students immediately told the school resource officer, who then detained and isolated the student. The student was then taken to the Frankfort Police Department. From there, he was transported to a juvenile detention facility by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
The school district confirmed the student had a small caliber handgun that was unloaded, and no ammunition was found on school property.
“We have prepared for incidents of these types of critical incidents. Today was an example of how we respond in coordination with the police department to keep everyone safe,” said Dr. Matt Rhoda, superintendent for Community Schools of Frankfort.
Out of precaution, Frankfort Middle School was also placed on lockdown.
Frankfort Police Chief Scott Shoemaker confirmed the student's arrest. A statement was posted on the department's Facebook page Thursday afternoon.
The prosecutor will decide on whether or not to file formal charges against the student.
Frankfort is roughly 45 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis.
This is at least the sixth incident involving central Indiana students bringing weapons to school in the last two weeks.
"Why does this child feel the need to bring a weapon to school? We have to solve that problem," said Mac Hardy, of the National Association of School Resource Officers.
Wednesday, a Carmel elementary student was reportedly found with a knife on a school bus.
Tuesday, an 18-year-old was arrested at Warren Central High School for bringing a gun to the school's parking lot.
"When most students see a gun on their school grounds, it causes fear, it causes concern, and to have a trusted adult, they know they can go to say something about it, it takes that fear out of that environment," Hardy said.
A probable cause affidavit says another student alerted an administrator after seeing the suspect posing for a photo with the gun on school property.
Last week, an elementary student in the Clark-Pleasant School district brought a gun on a bus. A student reported it to the driver.
"He said, 'Hey, look at this,' so I did, and he pulled out a gun, so I ran and told the bus driver," the student said.
Also last week, a school resource officer at North Central High School found a gun on a student with an illegal machine gun switch.
"The kids need to feel secure and safe in their learning environment and that is where I want our minds to go after we secure the weapon," Hardy said. "It's not just the schools and the students and the staff, it's the parents that need to be involved, the community members need to be involved, they need to know if they see something, this takes the help of everybody."