HCSO: Teen with criminal history arrested for bringing gun to Hernando High School

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Hernando County deputies arrested a 16-year-old after they say he brought a gun to Hernando High School.

According to deputies, several students told school resource deputy Chris Downey that they saw a student with a gun on school grounds. The students told Downey that the student was showing the firearm off during class, but he had already gotten on a school bus to go home.

Deputies went to the teen’s home in Hill 'n Dale and spoke to his mother about the incident. Deputies said the mother allowed them to enter the home and search her son’s backpack. The teen said it belonged to him

According to HCSO, upon searching the backpack, a deputy located a firearm along with schoolwork with the teen’s name on it.

The teen was arrested and taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning.

Deputies said the teen admitted to detectives that he did have the gun at school and he did show it to at least one student.

According to detectives, he told them that he had no intention of using the weapon at school or toward anyone in particular.
A criminal history check revealed the teen had an outstanding juvenile pick up order from the Miami-Dade Police Department for failure to appear on a charge of battery on a specified official/employee. The teen was also found to be on active juvenile probation on a charge of burglary of a structure, deputies said.

The teen was charged with possession of a weapon on school property and unlawful possession of a firearm-under 18, which are both felonies.

He was taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Ocala.