INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Prosecutor's Office has formally charged a 17-year-old who allegedly brought a pistol modified as a machine gun to North Central High School.
The 17-year-old has been formally charged with carrying a handgun on school property, possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm on school property and dangerous possession of a firearm.
The suspect had an initial hearing Tuesday at 9 a.m.
(NOTE: 13News is not naming the suspect at this time because he is still under 18 years old.)
In an email sent to parents, NCHS said that before the start of the school day on Aug. 10, they located a student who was found to be in possession of a weapon. School administration immediately reported the incident to the Washington Township Schools Police.
According to a report filed by Washington Township Schools Police, the student, identified as a 17-year-old male, had a Glock semiautomatic pistol with ammunition.
Court documents say a school officer saw a group of boys smoking in a bathroom and escorted them to an office to be searched. While searching the suspect, the officer said he found a gun and Glock switch in the suspect's pants.
The district said the student shared they were carrying the weapon for protection in the neighborhood where they live. The student was arrested, and charges were referred to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, according to the school district.
"I wasn't that surprised," said Nora Priest, a student at North Central. "We only hear about it when they catch someone with a gun."
Twenty-four hours after school officials alerted parents that the weapon found at the school, they provided more details.
In a statement sent to parents, the district told parents that during "routine supervision protocols" Thursday morning, a staff member discovered the pistol before the start of classes.
According to a police report, the gun had a device on it that made it capable of acting like a machine gun, with the ability to fire rounds repeatedly. The police report also showed the student had close to three dozen rounds of ammunition with him.
"I feel awful that kid felt the need to carry a gun," mom Carolyn Dupree said. "I feel awful for the things that could have happened, and I'm just prayerful that nothing did happen, but I hate the world we live in right now."
Still, Dupree said she feels safe sending her daughter to North Central.
"It is nerve-wracking, but this is a great school. She feels safe here. We feel safe here," Dupree said.
It was the second time this week a central Indiana student was discovered having taken a gun to school.
On Wednesday in New Whiteland, a school bus driver took a gun from an elementary student on a bus. Clark-Pleasant Community School District officials said the student showed the gun to another student, who then told the bus driver. According to the school district, it all happened in the school parking lot before the start of the school day.
For a generation like Priest's that has grown up with active shooter drills, "There's so many people that bring guns to school, so if they're able to catch multiple people with guns, I'm not surprised," Priest said.
The prosecutor has the North Central High School case but has not made a decision about what charges, if any, are under consideration.
Below is the full email that was sent Friday with more information on the incident:
We wanted to update our school community on the communication that was sent yesterday, August 10. Thanks for your support and understanding as we worked through our investigation.
Since that time we have been able to continue the investigation per our safety protocols and with the appropriate authorities. The comprehensive investigation confirmed that the weapon recovered was a Glock 9 handgun that was modified and meets the “machine gun” definition under Indiana criminal law and identified as a “machine gun” in the police report. The weapon was uncovered through routine morning supervision protocols during student arrival and prior to classes starting. The student shared that they were carrying the weapon for protection in the neighborhood where they live. The student was immediately arrested and charges were referred to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
We are pleased that our school safety protocols were effective in this incident that happened before the start of school. As a reminder, it is the shared responsibility of students, staff, and families to ensure that our school continues to be a safe place to grow and learn. WTS fosters a See Something, Say Something culture, as we know our students hear about potential disruptions and incidents prior to administration in many cases; thus, we ask you to continue to encourage your student to report potential unsafe situations they may hear about or see happening to any NCHS staff member or through our MSDWT Anonymous Tip Line. Resources and additional support information are available on the MSDWT Safety & Security page. Additionally, we continue our ongoing safety protocols that include: random screenings at arrival and searches of students including metal detection, daily campus security checks, and emergency drills. We also continue our partnership with the Office of Public Health and Safety for anti-violence efforts in the community.
Our focus remains on providing a safe learning environment for our students.
Sincerely,
NCHS Administration