Teen charged after gun brought on Hernando County school bus, student accidentally shot
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — During a Thursday news conference, Sheriff Al Nienhuis said a 16-year-old is behind bars after bringing a gun on a Hernando County school bus.
The sheriff said the gun was passed around different students in the district, and a 17-year-old ended up being shot by the gun. Now, the teen that brought the gun on the bus is being held accountable.
Investigators ended up arresting the teen for a completely separate situation that occurred on Jan. 12. The Sheriff said the 16-year-old was driving a stolen vehicle, which was found at Mariner’s Cay Apartments. Investigators said the teenager pushed a deputy, fled on foot, returned to the vehicle and crashed the car.
On Jan. 16, deputies said students reported from Springstead High School to a school resource officer that the same teenager had a firearm on the school bus.
After looking at the surveillance from school grounds, and the bus, officials said it did appear the teenager had a weapon.
During this time, the sheriff’s office said the gun was still in circulation, being passed from student to student.
“That gun went through a couple of different hands and we’re still kind of looking into that to figure out who had it and why,” Nienhuis said.
On Jan. 31, the sheriff said another student accidentally shot his 17-year-old friend while trying to hand him that firearm.
“Upon doing further investigation we were able to determine that through both, a unique sticker that’s on the handle of the weapon there, as well as witness statements, that it was in fact the same gun that was on the bus a couple of weeks earlier,” Nienhuis said.
When the sheriff’s office realized who had originally brought the weapon to school, they arrested the 16-year-old again on new charges.
“We charged him with possessing or discharging weapons or firearms in school sponsored event or on school property,” Nienhuis said. “He was transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Ocala and he is still currently in custody there.”
The school district said it’s hard to understand how this happened, but it did, and educating students is number one, but that starts at home.
Superintendent John Stratton emphasized the importance of parent’s involvement.
“Parents, we need your help with this, we need you to set aside some time tonight and talk to your children,” he said. “Let them know about the seriousness of weapons and what that means. But don’t stop there, have a talk with them about threats or acts of harm towards anybody else.”
Nienhuis said they are still tracking down where the gun came from.
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