Loaded gun found in backpack at Dunbar high school; student arrested

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — A student was arrested after a loaded gun was allegedly found in their backpack at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Wednesday morning.

According to Fayette County Public Schools spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith, the gun was found in a student’s backpack around 8 a.m. It was caught by metal detectors before the student entered the school.

The student was arrested by FCPS police.

The student is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school property and may face additional charges.

Since the student is a minor, their identity will not be released.

Below is a letter sent to Dunbar parents about the incident:

“Dear Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Families:

I’m writing to make you aware that a loaded firearm was discovered on our campus this morning as a student was entering the building.

All students and staff are safe.Security ambassadors located the firearm while checking a student’s bag as they were entering the building through metal detectors. Fayette County Public Schools Police took immediate possession of the weapon and the student was taken into custody.

The student is being charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school property and additional charges may follow. In accordance with the student code of conduct, due process will be followed and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

This news may travel quickly through our school community, and I wanted to communicate with you as soon as possible to assure you that everyone is safe. As your principal, I am committed to ensuring we have open lines of communication between home and school, and anytime something unusual happens at school, we will inform you.

While news such as this can make us all feel vulnerable, we are thankful that our school safety and security protocols helped prevent this weapon from entering our hallways and classrooms today. We are grateful to our FCPS Police Officers and administrative team for their partnership and swift action to respond to the situation and ensure we maintain the safety of our students and staff.

This is an excellent opportunity for all of us to remind our students that situations like this are extremely serious. Students and parents should understand that making threats against a school or bringing a weapon onto school property is a felony under Kentucky state law.

I also want to remind our students that they can report information anonymously through the STOP Tipline on our website.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at (859) 381-3546.

Sincerely,

Scott P. Loscheider
Principal
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School”