Booker T. Washington High School principal Dr. Michael Roberts sent out a robocall to parents yesterday, but he did not tell the parents a student was arrested for carrying a gun on campus.
A parent told Inweekly that Dr. Roberts only said that a student was arrested for having an illegal item.
Escambia County Superintendent Malcom Thomas has confirmed Inweekly’s earlier report that a student was arrested for having a gun at the school.
Thomas would not release any details about the arrest of the student. However, he said Florida law mandates his expulsion.
“It’s a student issue and there is not a lot I will be able to tell you,” Thomas told Inweekly.
Thomas said the student was caught before the gun could be used in a “threatening way.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured or threatened,” Thomas said. “(The gun) wasn’t brandished to other kids.”
Thomas said in eight years, he only remembers two incidents at high schools involving guns, including this one.
“In today’s world we will not blink when we hear there might be a gun,” Thomas said.
Parents have been told both students will be expelled. Superintendent Thomas did not mention a second student.
As soon as the police report on the incident is received, we will post it.
Neither the Pensacola Police Department or the Escambia County School District reported the incident to the public yesterday.
–Duwayne Escobedo contributed to this article.
A relative of the boy who originally brought the handgun on the Booker T. Washington High School campus called Inweekly to say that the student had no intention of hurting anyone but himself. He planned to do it off campus, according to the relative.
She said that William Caldwell took the gun away from him to save his life. When police found the gun in his backpack, Caldwell was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a third degree felony.
As of this morning, school officials had not fully notified parents or students about the Tuesday incident or held an assembly to deal with the rumors.
See Police Report