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ROY — Four juvenile students were taken into custody Tuesday after police said a community member reported them flashing gang signs and brandishing a gun near Roy High School.
Roy police said the group of teens was reported by a driver passing by them near 2025 West and 4800 South, down the street from the school. The driver said they stopped to see what the group was up to, and one of them flashed a handgun.
When police arrived about 9 a.m., they located the students near 4700 South and 2075 West, just east of the school. After police received the 911 call, they contacted the school administration, who activated the "lockout status protocol."
Police said in a press release that the group ran west toward the school but were stopped before getting to the school. Police said they located a loaded handgun on one of the students.
"The first two students I know had mentioned they brought it for their own protection. The third student said it was for hunting and that was in his car," said Roy Police Sgt. Josh Taylor,
All four were taken into custody for questioning, and one was booked into the Weber Valley Juvenile Detention Center for investigation of gun-related charges.
Roy police said they have investigated four separate gun incidents related to Roy High School in recent weeks.
"Our investigations have found no evidence that students were carrying guns due to 'bullying.' This latest incident is believed to be gang-related," the release stated.
Taylor said none of the four threats that were present in the past weeks were made toward the school or any student.
"I think the important thing is just for parents to have those conversations with their kids about bringing guns to school and what to do if they hear somebody has a gun at school," he said. "All of these incidents, my understanding, is that somebody came forward and told the staff or school resources officer that somebody had a gun."
The school district's community relations and safety specialist, Lane Findlay, released a statement on behalf of the school's leadership Monday afternoon detailing the incident and its plans to mitigate future problems, after so many in such a short period.
Weber School District statement to parents:
Dear Parents,
I want to take a moment to follow-up with you regarding the incident that happened near the school this morning. Officers from the Roy Police Department responded to the report of an individual with a gun in a nearby neighborhood. As a precaution, our school was placed in a "secure" protocol. A "secure" protocol is used when there is something going on outside of the school. Exterior doors are locked and access to the building is prohibited while the situation is being dealt with. This differs greatly from a "lockdown" where there is a potential threat inside the school.
We were informed by Roy Police that several individuals were detained and one of the subjects was found in possession of a firearm. Although there was no threat to anyone at the school, the juvenile involved is a student at Roy High School. The student is now facing criminal charges and we will also be taking disciplinary action.
This incident comes on the heels of three other incidents where students were found in possession of firearms. None of these cases are related nor do they involve any threats, but it is very concerning behavior. We are not aware of any specific issues within the school. The possession of a firearm is strictly prohibited on school property.
We are currently working with district and law enforcement officials to address this issue. We have contracted with the Roy Police Department for extra officers who will be assigned to the school for the remainder of the year. We are placing special emphasis on the security of our parking lots and surrounding areas in an effort to prevent problems. Prior to these cases, we have already been working on numerous safety and security enhancements to include:
- Installation of single-point entry with a secure vestibule.
- Enhancement of our communication system within the building, which involves providing teachers with a security alert device.
- Implementation of a threat assessment program and team to address any potential threats to school safety.
We want to encourage students and others to continue to report concerns and suspicious behaviors. In all of these cases, law enforcement and school officials were able to intervene because someone came forward with information. Any concern can be reported directly to school officials or by submitting a tip through the SafeUT app. All tips are taken seriously and we will fully investigate any concerns.
We will also continue to work closely with the Roy Police Department and we truly appreciate their quick and appropriate response to these situations. Safety will always be our number one priority. If you ever have any concerns or questions, please feel free to reach out to a member of our administration.
Lane Findlay, Weber School District community relations and safety specialist
Roy police said they are actively investigating how the student acquired the gun, and what their intended purpose was with it.
Contributing: Shara Park
