EVEN THE SMALL TOWNS
LOCAL NEWSBy Colleen Surridge and Anna Fry
Parsons Sun
A Parsons High School freshman who brought a loaded gun to school Monday remains in custody today.
Parsons police detained the 14-year-old boy Monday afternoon in a second-floor classroom after another student reported seeing the gun.
"I'm really proud of the student who did come forward giving us all the information needed to identify the suspect. It was a very quick interview and arrest," said USD 503 superintendent Deborah Perbeck.
The student who made the report did not know the name of the other student, but gave the teacher a description.
"When the teacher came in to notify the administration, there happened to be a community police officer there just visiting the school," Perbeck said. "They made some phone calls and officers were at the school almost immediately." Police and sheriff's deputies responded.
As soon as the office was notified, the school was locked down around 2:30 p.m., meaning whatever classroom students were in is where they remained. Nearby GuthridgeElementary School went on lockdown, too.
This means that students were locked in a classroom with the gun-carrying suspect, but as school officials didn't know who the suspect was, there was little choice, Perbeck said. Interim Police Chief John Keele said lockdowns are a way to keep violence contained if it erupts.
"There's no perfect plan," Keele said. "You're going to isolate to make sure there's as little of a chance of people getting hurt as possible."
Keele said the school district planned the lockdown procedures a while ago. Police attended meetings then so they would be informed of the procedures.
Keele said the principal used the description to figure out who the student was and what classroom he was in. Three police officers entered the classroom.
"He was apprehended without incident," Keele said. Police recovered a loaded handgun the student had on him. Police will not release some details - such as the caliber of gun and where exactly it was - because the investigation is ongoing. Neither the student nor police officers drew a gun. Police didn't enter any other classrooms.
Keele said the student was detained within 20 minutes of the call, which came at about 2:30. He was taken to the Parsons police station, but is no longer there. However, he is still in custody.
Perbeck would not identify the student, but did say there will be a board hearing, whether the student is able to be there or not.
"But any time a student has a weapon in school it is an automatic 186 days expulsion, which is a full year from yesterday," Perbeck said.
Both students and staff and the police handled the incident extremely well, Perbeck said.
Students and staff remained calm during the lockdown, and the police were quick to respond and apprehend the suspect.
"Everyone was doing what they needed to do," she said. "The student was apprehended right before the end of the day, so once the student was apprehended and removed from the campus, we did let the students go. We released the students one classroom at a time, single file from the building. It was really orderly. There was no panic whatsoever."
Keele returned the compliment.
"We do want to commend the school on their quick action and the cooperation of the students on making sure this went well," Keele said.
Police are continuing their investigation. Keele said he expects the student to be charged as a juvenile with a felony charge of criminal threat and three juvenile misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a firearm on school property and criminal possession of a firearm by a juvenile. LabetteCounty Attorney John Bullard confirmed he expects to file those charges today or Wednesday as soon as he gets the police reports.
Keele and Bullard would not identify the student because he is a juvenile.
After the school had the facts, parents of students at all district schools were notified through School Reach, an automated system that calls parents, of the situation.
"If parents feel they were not notified, they need to call the school office and make sure their contact information is correct," Perbeck said.
Vaughn Tolle said:
Tracy, it sounds like this was handled as well as it could have been. Good work by all involved.
Since the student is age 14, what provisions are in place, if any and if you know, for him to go to school, as is otherwise required by the Kansas attendance law. Surprised by my question? USD 259 has a program for attendance by those required by law to attend, but who have been expelled; I don't recall its name at the present, but was put in place to deal with the seeming contradiction in the controlling statutes.
Since the student is age 14, what provisions are in place, if any and if you know, for him to go to school, as is otherwise required by the Kansas attendance law. Surprised by my question? USD 259 has a program for attendance by those required by law to attend, but who have been expelled; I don't recall its name at the present, but was put in place to deal with the seeming contradiction in the controlling statutes.
linda said:
Stowers. They have actual jail cells too in case a student needs to be restrained. This is where Steve (son-in-law) BEGAN his teaching career. He went on to head up East's social studies department and teach only IB students before stopping teaching altogether. He has been from what might be thought of as the bottom all the way to the top. His most satisfying graduation was th one where a Stowers student graduated. A young man no one thought would ever accomplish that feat.
Vaughn Tolle said:
Sowers? Thanks, Linda. I had thought that Sowers was a special ed facility only. I knew about the juvenile detention facility, for those who are serving time and may have been expelled.
linda said:
Yes! Sowers. lol Stowers is that place in KC, MO that gives Chad lots of bucks. Oh well, I was kinda close. I mean AT Sowers they had jail cells in case they are needed. It's been many years (15 plus) since Steve was there but at that time I thought (??) it was where those who had been expelled from other schools yet hadn't reached 16 attended. I'll sit down and be quiet so as not to confuse everything even more.
Tracy said:
We have the former Naval Reserve building, which is now the "Parsons Learning Academy". It's right across the street from the high school campus, in an inconspicous corner of the "hood".
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