Updated 10:06 p.m., 12/1/14. During interrogation, the 16-year-old male arrested for possession of a firearm at Fremont High School admitted to planning to shoot a particular student, then open fire on the rest of the school. He is being charged with Class B Possession of a firearm by a minor, Class A possession of a firearm in a restricted area, and Class A possession of a weapon with intent to assault.
Police were alerted Monday of a student possessing a loaded handgun at Fremont High School in Plain City.
A student had reportedly seen a peer with the gun and tipped off the school resource officer, who detained the subject. No shots were fired, according to police, and the student was taken into custody.
Though the student’s intentions remain unclear, Lt. Lane Findlay with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office said it is unlikely they were friendly.
“We’re still working through that to see what his intentions were in having that gun at school, but the simple fact that he was in possession of it and it was loaded certainly seems to indicate that there was some danger there,” Findlay said.
The alert, which occurred just after noon, resulted in a school-wide lockdown and evacuation.
“Classrooms were evacuated one by one, students were searched to make sure there were no additional threats, and then as those students were searched and cleared, then they were released from the school,” Findlay said.
An investigation is underway. Findlay said authorities are grateful for the courage of the student who tipped off school officials.