JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students at Terry Parker High School were scanned by metal detectors Tuesday, a day after Jacksonville police arrested a student they said brought a loaded gun on campus.
An arrest report obtained by News4Jax on Tuesday shows police arrested Nassir Sanders, 14. He was charged with possession of a firearm on school property.
According to the report, the school was placed on lockdown after someone reported seeing a student flash a handgun to another student while in the cafeteria.
While the school was on lockdown, investigators said, a student observed the 14-year-old place the handgun into a trash can in a bathroom. According to the arrest report, the gun was loaded with 10 bullets.
Megan McKinney, the principal at Terry Parker High, said the school will be using walk-through metal detectors on campus for the remainder of the week. After that, the school district will make a decision on the increased security measures.
An 18-year-old student at the school, who asked not to be identified, shared her thoughts on safety.
“Security needs to tighten up here. They don’t need to be friends with students. They need to actually be adults and do their part," she said. “I don’t feel safe at all.”
McKinney told News4Jax that she believes there are many other students of the school who would not agree.
“I think that you have to create positive relationships with students to where they feel comfortable to opening up and telling us what’s going on, and so there’s that fine line of being an friend and being an adult,” McKinney said. “I think sometimes maybe students might get confused that we’re trying to really build relationships, and so if you see students coming in adult offices... there’s camaraderie between adults and the students on campus. We’re actually trying to build a relationship so there is trust.”
McKinney reminded students to remain vigilant, and that if they see something, to say something.