INDIANAPOLIS — Police arrested an Indianapolis Public Schools student Thursday morning after the student allegedly brought a loaded handgun on campus.
An IPS spokesperson confirmed school police officers found a student at Arsenal Tech High School with a loaded handgun before classes started Aug. 17.
The spokesperson said all students are safe, and classes are in session.
"The incident, which was handled swiftly by IPS Police, is also being handled under our Student Code of Conduct policy and Indiana laws regarding firearm possession on school property," the spokesperson said in a statement. "IPS will continue to keep the safety of all students at the forefront of their educational experience."
Arsenal Tech is located at 1500 E. Michigan St., near North Oriental Street.
This is at least the fifth incident involving 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."