http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/123294_gun23.html



Friday, May 23, 2003

Student who took machine pistol to school arrested

By SAM SKOLNIK
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

A White Center high school sophomore who brought a loaded machine pistol to school in his backpack yesterday told authorities he needed it for protection outside of school after a drive-by shooting at his home a month ago.

King County Sheriff Dave Reichert and Evergreen High School officials said there was no indication that the 17-year-old boy, who was arrested, had threatened or was planning to shoot anyone on school grounds.

The incident began about 11 a.m., when a school official noticed that the boy smelled of alcohol. The student was referred to the office of Vice Principal Jackie Lewis, who asked him whether he had any alcohol in his backpack.

The boy would not allow Lewis to search the pack, so Lewis called in deputy sheriff Steve Beets, the on-site school resource officer. Beets, smelling alcohol on the boy's breath, opened the pack and discovered the weapon.

Catherine Carbone Rogers, a spokeswoman for the Highline School District, said the boy was expelled immediately for carrying a weapon on school property.

The student likely faces several charges including possession of a firearm on school grounds and holding a concealed weapon without a permit, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Officials said the weapon was a Mac-10 machine pistol, but they did not yet know whether it was fully- or semi-automatic. The weapon, Reichert said, was loaded with several dozen bullets in a magazine that carries 32 bullets.

"Certainly any time a youngster brings a gun to a school is a very serious matter," Reichert said. "He's a teenager carrying a weapon that holds 32 bullets into a school. ... It's a great concern to us."

Reichert said his office was looking into the possibility the student had gang connections.



Noting the boy's contention that the pistol was for protection off school grounds, Reichert backed off an earlier suggestion in a news release that the discovery of the weapon had "probably averted what could have been a huge tragedy."

"It was a dangerous situation," said Highline spokeswoman Rogers. "But there is no reason to believe it was going to be used here."

Rogers said there is no metal detector at Evergreen, which is at 830 S.W. 116th St. in the White Center area of unincorporated King County. Instead, the school relies on school resource officer Beets, as well as a school security officer.

Rogers said it would be up to the school board to install a metal detector. Until now, she said, "the school board hasn't felt a need for it."

Rogers and Beets said this was the first time in recent memory that a gun was found on school grounds.

One student said she believed the boy may have brought the weapon in just to show off to friends.

"I've never heard of anyone with a gun in here," said Lani Luyando, a junior.

Luyando said it would have been easy to bring a gun into Evergreen undetected, and that the school was just lucky that he was caught.

Beets said he knew the student in question and that he hadn't been a "major discipline problem."

In fact, Beets said the boy had been a student in a class he taught at Evergreen called "Introduction to Criminal Justice."

[Note: The original story and headline incorrectly referred to the weapon as a machine gun.]

Then why keep calling it a [b]machine pistol[/b]


BISHOP

There is no reason to bring a firearm to school like that.  I think he did it just to show it off.  He was stupid to take it.  0 tolerence on school campus.

I saw this a few days ago (not sure if it was here or TFL) and it was definitely a semi-auto mac-10.  it had I think 20 out of 32 rounds in the magazine.

and yes, they still called it a machine pistol.

"Machine Pistol", "dozens of rounds" although the magazine capacity is 32.

Whatever sells copy, I guess...

Bob

[rolleyes]The jerk still was an idiot for bringing a gun to school.  [nono]He could have been held on Federal Charges for mere possession.  He would not have had to shoot anything.
*Fed Law: No Handgun in possession nor handgun ammunition for those under 21 years of age.
*Unless under Adult Supervision

[media]Because it is![/media][BD]

What is that some kind of gay fairy gang?

If I was going into a neighborhood with oriental fantasy boys armed with machine pistols I'd be packing too!

Hell, I think I'd pass on the good Chinese food and just stay out of the durned area[:D]

The moral

Don't carry stinkin drunk.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that a minor can not be charged under the federal system unles he is charged as an adult,that would involve only the most heinous of crimes such as murder.
I'm not 100 percent sure about this ,any lawyers here know for sure?

This reminds me of an incident several years ago.  I went to Wal-mart to purchase 22 LR ammo (I think to squirrel hunt) when I was 20.  I was told I couldn't purchase it since it can be fired in a handgun, too.  But I could still buy most other rifle cartridges and shotgun shells.  I think the ammo law is crap.  If it's already against the law to possess the gun, there's no need to outlaw the ammo.
CR