EL PASO COUNTY — Three middle school students in School District 49 were charged for bringing replica handguns to school, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
They say this happened Thursday after the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Horizon Middle School received several reports about a student allegedly in possession of a gun.
The SRO notified the school administration and located the student, who is 11 years old. The Sheriff's Office says the gun in question was determined to be an airsoft gun.
While investigating, two 12-year-old students were found in possession of a replica gun. All three students were charged with the following:
- interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions
- disorderly conduct
The Sheriff's Office says School District 49 communicated the incidents with parents.
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal released the following statement regarding these incidents:
“I want to impress upon parents and guardians the importance of awareness concerning their children. Who they communicate with, what items they bring to school, and their access to contraband or weapons. While this incident was addressed quickly and without incident, it caused unnecessary fear and the deployment of resources."
“School safety is of the utmost importance to my Office, and we will continue to monitor and investigate these incidents without hesitation. We are committed to keeping our schools safe and ensuring students have a secure place to learn and grow.”
WATCH: El Paso County Sheriff's Office provides more details after airsoft guns brought to school
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