Coconut Creek High student arrested for bringing gun on first day of school

A Coconut Creek High School student was arrested for bring a loaded gun on the first day of classes following the summer break, authorities said.

Coconut Creek Police officials said they were called to the school around 1:15 p.m. Monday after the student had been detained with the firearm.

The 15-year-old had shown the gun to another student, school security was notified, and the gun was found in the teen's backpack, officials said.

Police said it was a 9mm Glock pistol, and that it was loaded.

The teen now faces charges including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by someone under 18, and causing a school lockdown.

"A child brought it showing off, and another child saw it, and another child said something, and that’s the key to it, I don’t know the intent, I don’t think there was intent of any use," Broward County Pubic Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Licata said.

In a message Monday, the school's principal notified parents and guardians of the incident.

"I want to assure you this incident did not involve any threats toward our school and all students and staff are safe," the message read. "The student involved was arrested by law enforcement and will face appropriate school disciplinary measures."

Broward County Public Schools officials said the school had been placed on code red lockdown during the incident.

"We are deeply disturbed by the student’s actions; however, we are pleased that the message of See Something, Say Something continues to help our schools be safer learning environments for all. It was thanks to a student seeing and saying something that campus security was alerted of the issue<" the district said in a statement. "School safety is everyone’s responsibility. Parents are encouraged to speak with their children about the severe consequences of bringing weapons or other banned items onto school campuses – and if you see something, say something."

At their meeting Tuesday, the school board discussed safety and security, including whether metal detectors should be deployed more than they are and whether to revive the debate over clear backpacks.

Debbi Hixon, who lost her husband in the Parkland school shooting, said she’s not sure they’re worth the investment.

“A metal detector and clear backpacks were not gonna change what happened that day, it was people, working to make sure the gates were locked, I would prefer we spend our money on people, people who can make a difference, and I just don’t think spending our money on these feel-good things that are not really data driven or proven to make a difference is the way that I would like to see us spend our taxpayers money,” Hixon said.

Other board members did express support for the expanded use of metal detectors.

“So as we move through these metal detector policies and we move through getting more secure, still the single best is parents preventing their child from taking something from home and bringing it to school,” Licata said.

Last school year, school security personnel seized 113 weapons on Broward County Public School campuses. That number includes five guns and 64 knives.

Board member Lori Alhadeff said parents need to be involved to prevent issues like the one in Coconut Creek.

“Parents are our first line of defense, they need to be looking in their kids’ backpacks, making sure that there’s not a weapon in their backpack," Alhadeff said.

On Monday afternoon, the superintendent had proclaimed a smooth opening day of school. When asked why he and the board members didn’t mention the Coconut Creek High School incident, he said when he and the board members held their news conference at 2:30 p.m., the parents at the school had not yet been notified, so he said they decided not to divulge details of the incident publicly until the school community had all the facts first.