17-year-old accused of bringing gun to school in Columbia County

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LAKE CITY, Fla. – The Columbia County Police Department responded to a tip Thursday regarding a teenage high schooler carrying a firearm on campus.

According to a news report, deputies received a tip about a student possibly carrying a gun at Columbia High School from another law enforcement agency that was working on a separate investigation.

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Deputies worked with the school administration to find the suspect and located the 17-year-old student in the school parking lot with the gun on him.

The teen was then arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school campus.

Deputies are still investigating the teen’s motive for bringing the gun to school.

“We are grateful for those who partner with us to keep our children safe. I want to assure the community we will aggressively investigate any concern involving school safety,” Sheriff Mark Hunter said. “We encourage people to speak out when there is a potential threat.”

The sheriff’s office is working with school district officials to proactively ensure the safety of all Columbia County campuses.