JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A loaded gun was found outside Raines High School on Friday and confiscated by school police thanks to a tip from a parent, according to Duval County Public Schools.
Administrators at Raines found the firearm outside of a school building. Principal Vincent Hall notified parents by phone, and a letter was sent home with students.
No students were hurt and no arrests were made. It's the 10th gun found at a Duval County school in 2018.
The following was the message from Principal Hall:
Good Afternoon parents and guardians of William M. Raines High School. This is Principal Hall calling to notify you of an incident that occurred today and the preventative measures we took to keep our campus safe. This afternoon, we received a tip from a parent about a possible firearm on campus. Duval County School Police and school administrators immediately investigated the tip and located a loaded firearm outside one of the school buildings. The firearm was confiscated, and the school is working cooperatively with Duval County School Police as they conduct a thorough investigation into this incident. Thankfully, students and staff remained safe throughout this time. We greatly appreciate the swift actions of our staff and school police. We are also thankful to the individual who reached out to the school. These incidents highlight the importance of contacting school and law enforcement officials immediately whenever there is a safety concern. Please talk with your child about this incident, and encourage them that if they see something, please say something. Remind them that any firearm or weapon brought to school is a violation of the Code of Conduct. Offender(s) can face disciplinary action by the district as well as possible criminal charges with serious consequences. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 904-924-3049 if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you and have a good afternoon."
The incident comes just two days after a woman was arrested and charged with bringing a gun on the campus of Ribault High School.