A Ballou High School student is facing multiple charges after school security intercepted a handgun and drugs during a weapons screening Friday morning, according to police.
Around 9:40 a.m., security staff flagged down a patrol officer in Southeast D.C. after spotting a 9 mm handgun inside a student’s backpack as it passed through the school’s X-ray machine, according to a police report from the Metropolitan Police Department. The bag was taken to the security office, where police recovered unregistered ammunition, a sandwich bag containing a “green leaf substance” and THC wax.
The student was arrested and charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a controlled substance and possession of unregistered ammunition, officials said.
In a letter to parents, Principal William Haith emphasized that the weapon did not make it past the checkpoint, that no one was harmed, and that classes continued without disruption.
“Weapons of any kind, including toy or replica weapons and weapon accessories, are not allowed at DC Public Schools,” Haith wrote. He added that counselors on Ballou’s counseling wellness team are available to students who may be distressed by the discovery.
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