Alexandria student arrested after gun found in high school

A 14-year-old student was arrested after an unloaded gun was discovered at an Alexandria, Virginia, high school on Monday morning.

According to school officials, a teacher at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus reported that a student had a weapon around 9 a.m. Monday.

Safety teams then placed the campus on a “secure the building” mode, in which the school day goes on as scheduled but nobody is allowed to enter or leave.



School security and Alexandria police investigated the student involved and recovered an unloaded handgun. The “secure the building” state was lifted about an hour later.

The 14-year-old student has been charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds.

“The safety and security of our students and staff are of utmost priority,” Principal Peter Balas said in an email to the school community. “We will continue to provide updates to families via our website and ParentSquare as more information becomes available.”

Alejandro Alvarez

Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics, political activism and international affairs.

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