Search ongoing for student with weapon at Murray High School fight, police say

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MURRAY — Police are still searching for one of two teenagers who they say pulled out weapons in the Murray High School parking lot as a fight was beginning Tuesday after school.

The school went into lockdown for about 30 minutes until police arrived and got the situation under control.

Two teenage boys met in the parking lot behind the school for a fight they had planned, according to police.

"There were numerous witnesses because this was a planned fight," Murray police spokeswoman Kristin Reardon.

Reardon said the teen boys had planned to fight over some dispute they had last week. One pulled a knife from his car and the other pulled a gun from his car, she said. Police arrived and students scattered before anyone was hurt. Police quickly caught the teenager who they say pulled the gun.

"The initial juvenile that we brought over for questioning was the one that had a firearm which turned out to be an air gun that propelled BBs," said Reardon. "He did admit to that, and we did recover that weapon."

The student was booked into juvenile detention. Police have not yet found the student who they believe pulled the knife.

"We have his identity and know who that person is. We're just trying to find this individual," Reardon said.

This highlights a growing number of incidents, not only in Utah, in which teenagers brandish and even use weapons.

"There is an issue with the message being given to kids that violence is a way to solve your problems, and it's not," said Nancy Halden, communications director with the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. She said that was a mental health issue that needs to be addressed.

"The other big thing that we notice a lot is the easy access of weapons," Halden said. "I think we've had an explosion of the sale of guns in Utah in 2020 and 2021, so there are more guns than ever."

That's a problem when they are not properly stored away from children.

"We shouldn't make it easy for them to get their hands on something that can do harm," she said.

The Gun Violence Prevention Center wants Utah to strengthen its gun storage laws.

"States that have better gun storage laws see less violence," Halden said.

A gun storage bill this legislative session did not make it out of committee.

Police say the teenagers will be screened for numerous charges.