Two Leon County high school students were arrested with weapons on campus on Friday, becoming the first such arrests since classes resumed earlier this month – a safety issue that has bedeviled the school district in recent years.
A 15-year-old Godby High School 9th grader was arrested for possessing an unloaded firearm on campus, though he had ammunition in his bookbag.
The gun was discovered after the student left a classroom without permission, telling the teacher he was leaving campus. The teacher immediately notified school administration.
“The student was located by school staff and escorted to the office,” the Leon County Sheriff’s Office wrote in an incident alert. “While inside, he became belligerent with staff until School Resource Deputies (SRDs) responded, at which point he calmed down.”
School administrators then conducted a search of the students bookbag and found an unloaded .45 caliber revolver object wrapped in a shirt. Bullets for the gun were discovered in a pouch inside the bookbag.
The student’s parents were notified and he was taken into custody by school resource deputies “without incident and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.”
The student, who was not named, has been charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Minor and Possession of a Weapon on School Property.
On the same day, a 17-year-old student at Rickards High School was arrested after school administrators received an anonymous tip that she was carrying weapons on campus, according to LCSO.
The student, an 11th grader who also wasn’t named, was removed from her classroom and searched by school officials. Inside her purse, authorities discovered a functional taser and a canister of pepper spray. Both items are classified as weapons under Florida law when brought onto school property.
Following her arrest, the student reportedly told deputies she carried the items for self-defense. She was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center. She now faces two counts of Possession of a Weapon on School Property.
The back-to-back arrests were the first and second weapons arrests on a Leon school district campus since classes resumed on Aug. 11.
The district has a zero tolerance policy against drugs, weapons and threats to harm others on its campuses. During the 2024-25 school year, there were at least 17 arrests on school campuses, with ten of them dealing with weapons on campus ranging from loaded guns to a hatchet to a razor blade kit.
In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office emphasized the importance of proactive communication between parents and students.
“Parents and guardians are urged to have open and candid discussions with their children regarding the importance of adhering to the district’s zero-tolerance policy for weapons and drugs on campus,” the release stated. “Ensuring that students understand the gravity of this matter and the potential consequences is vital in maintaining a safe and secure school environment.”
The Sheriff’s Office also praised school administrators for their swift responses and encouraged the use of the FortifyFL app for anonymously reporting suspicious activity related to Leon County Schools. Tips can also be submitted by calling 850-922-KIDS.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Back-to-back weapons arrests at Tallahassee high schools show safety issue persists
Reporting by Staff reports / Tallahassee Democrat
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