OAKVILLE, Mo. — A 17-year-old Oakville High School student was taken into police custody after bringing a gun to school Wednesday morning.
The St. Louis County Police Department confirmed that a student was found to be in possession of a gun inside the school at around 9:30 a.m. There were no injuries or threats made toward students or staff.
Oakville High School Principal Brian Brennan said in a statement sent to staff, students and families that the school had received a tip that a student may have a handgun inside the school. As they were preparing for a lockdown, the student was immediately identified and removed from class, and a School Resource Officer confiscated the gun.
As a precaution, there will be an additional police presence on campus for the rest of the day, the school said.
"We care deeply about student safety. I realize this is a very concerning situation for our school family. School safety is of the utmost importance to us, and we will continue to address any concerns that are brought to our attention," Brennan said in the statement.
Brennan thanked the students who brought the situation to the staff's attention Wednesday morning.
"Please continue to remind your kids that if they see something, say something -- to a parent, a Mehlville School District staff member, the police or a trusted adult," Brennan said.
The student remained in custody as of Wednesday afternoon and will be referred to Family Court, police said.
Read the full statement sent to Oakville High School families below:
"Dear Oakville High families, staff and students,
"This morning we received a tip that a student may be in possession of a handgun at school. As we were preparing for a lockdown, the student was immediately identified and removed from class, and the handgun was confiscated by our School Resource Officer. This student had not made specific threats to the school.
"This is an incredibly serious situation. Weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited on our campus and buses. The students involved will receive discipline in accordance with Mehlville School District policy. We are also cooperating with a St. Louis County Police investigation. Out of an abundance of caution, we will have additional police presence on campus for the remainder of the day.
"We care deeply about student safety. I realize this is a very concerning situation for our school family. School safety is of the utmost importance to us, and we will continue to address any concerns that are brought to our attention. Whenever something like this happens, we work closely with our School Resource Officer to ensure the safety of all of our students and staff.
"We appreciate the students who brought this to our attention this morning. Please continue to remind your kids that if they see something, say something -- to a parent, a Mehlville School District staff member, the police or a trusted adult. You can also report concerns via safety reporting hotlines referenced on our website."