KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A loaded handgun was confiscated from a 16-year-old's backpack at Olathe Northwest High School on Friday, police said.
About 11:20 a.m., administrators notified an Olathe Police Department school resource officer that the student could have a gun.
The SRO found the student in the school's cafeteria and separated him from the backpack.
The loaded gun was later found in the backpack.
No one was injured in the incident and the student didn't threaten anyone with the gun, police said.
The student was taken in to custody.
Below is a letter Olathe Northwest Principal Chris Zuck sent to families.
Olathe Northwest families,
I wanted you to be aware of an incident that happened during lunch today that your student may have witnessed or heard about. Administration received a report from a student that a fellow student may have a weapon in their backpack. Immediately upon being notified, our School Resource Officer went to remove the student from the cafeteria and further investigate, following the district’s safety protocols. There was an altercation between the student and the SRO and school administration. The student was detained as the SRO requested additional police presence. No surrounding students or staff members were involved or injured.
Staff acted quickly to diffuse the situation and remove the student and their belongings. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that the student did have a gun in their backpack. It is important to note that at no point was the gun used and there is no threat to Olathe Northwest.
Our top priority is always the safety of our students and staff. We’d like to thank the Olathe Police Department for their help with this situation and our student who reported a concern to our staff members. Your students may notice an increased law enforcement presence for the remainder of the day while police continue to conduct their investigation. If you have any questions, please let me know.
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