Student, 20, Brings Gun to Promise Academy
CLEVELAND — A 20-year-old man is arrested after police say he brought a loaded gun to a local charter school.
According to Cleveland police, last Thursday, a 20-year-old student brought a 22-caliber semi-automatic gun to the Promise Academy on East 13th Street in Cleveland.
Promise Academy is a charter school operated by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to help non-traditional students earn a diploma.
“If you dropped out of regular school and you’re like 18, you haven’t graduated yet, you can come here and they help you, they get you on the right track to graduate, but why would you try to put that in jeopardy,” said student Keasia Hesner.
According to a police report, the student told investigators he noticed his brother put something in his backpack at home, then grabbed his bag and left for school. While riding the bus, the student looked inside and saw the gun and a magazine.
Investigators say when he got to school, he put the bag by the door and then went to the metal detector.
“As far as a gun, they should leave them at home, you know what I’m saying, you come to learn,” said parent Shawn Lovett.
The report states a security guard told the student that he couldn’t leave his bag there. He then said “there is a gun in the bag.”
He gave her the bag, she removed the weapon and called police.
“I’m glad they caught it, I’m glad they caught the kid and he didn’t get a chance to come in there with the gun,” said parent Florence Moten.
Police say the student never tried to run and never tried to bring the bag past the metal detector. Although parents are disturbed by the incident, they believe the school has adequate security.
“Their security is pretty good, that’s why he didn’t make it past the front door, so the security is pretty good, the school is pretty good,” said parent Keesha Williams.
“As far as the gun thing, I didn’t hear anything about it and I feel they should have contacted the parents as well, but security is good because he got stopped at the door, so I’m grateful for that,” said grandparent Dolores Davis.
The student faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. According to the police report, he does not have a prior criminal record.
