INDIANAPOLIS — An 18-year-old Indianapolis man is facing charges for bringing a gun to his high school this week.
It's the second time this school year, police have arrested someone with a firearm on the campus of Arsenal Tech High School.
The first incident at Tech did not involve a student and came a day before the start of the school year.
Police arrested a 28-year-old man in late July with a gun on school property.
According to a police report, the man had marijuana on him and a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber gun.
Thursday, police arrested an 18-year-old Arsenal Tech High School student for having a gun on school property.
"It's so terrifying. I just don't know how this is going to ever end,” said mom Linda Cooley, in tears Friday afternoon, waiting for her son in the pick-up line at Arsenal Tech High School.
"He's a senior, but he sees a lot going on,” said Cooley of her son. "It's emotional for me. My son is autistic and it's really difficult."
Cooley’s nerves are raw, thinking about the arrest at the high school the day before of an 18-year-old student. According to charging documents, that student had a loaded Glock 19 9-millimeter handgun tucked into his pants.
"This whole situation worries me,” said grandfather Donald Allender, the news no less difficult.
Allender has three grandchildren who go to Arsenal Tech.
"It should worry a whole lot of other parents,” he added.
According to investigators, Thursday morning, a student reported seeing another student with a gun, showing it to a fellow classmate before the start of the school day.
According to court documents, the witness told police when the student who had the gun, showed another student what he had, that classmate said, “You brought that to school? I leave mine at home,” the student told his classmate.
A search of police reports filed since the start of 2023, showed there have been five investigations for someone with a gun on Arsenal Tech's campus and two for someone with a knife.
That same search for Washington Township Schools found there have been two reports for students with a gun at school, one of them, just last week, along with three other incidents where students allegedly brought a knife to school.
"They need to have some type of detectors inside these buildings,” said Cooley.
IPS declined a 13 News request for an on camera interview for this story.
A spokesperson told 13 News that last year the district did random metal detection every day at its middle and high schools, using wands and metal detectors.
This year, the spokesperson said the district is again using wands and metal detectors.
However, we wanted to know where those devices are being used, how frequently and for what reasons. Answers to those questions were not provided.
"I think it should be every day,” said Cooley.
For now, this mom says she’s had some hard conversations with her son about what to do should the worst ever happen.
"I've taught him to run in certain situations,” Cooley said.
At this point, the student in Thursday's incident is facing several charges. Among them, having a gun on school property, unlawful carrying of a firearm, and resisting arrest.