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Last updated on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
(BEDFORD) - School officials say a Bedford Middle School student is facing disciplinary action and possible criminal charges after bringing a stolen handgun to school Friday.
According to Bedford Police Chief Dennis Parsley the department was notified from a concerned parent Thursday that there was a possible BB gun in the school.
Then after the school dance Friday night another parent came to the police station with her son reporting he was shown a handgun in the restroom at the school.
The boy was able to tell police what the gun looked like and who had it.
"The boy told us it was black and had a wooden grip," Parsley says. "That is when we contacted the boy's guardian and the school and went to the school to look for the weapon."
On Sunday, Parsley says police learned Lawrence County was working a case of a stolen handgun and that the gun reported at the school matched that of the one stolen.
"The boy's grandfather had reported the gun was taken sometime during Christmas break," Parsley says.
Parsley says they then questioned the 12-year-old boy who finally admitted to stealing the gun and taking it to school.
"He told us he just wanted to show it to his friends and thought it was pretty cool to own a gun," Parsley says. "He says he had no intention of ever hurting anyone."
BMS Principal David Schlegel, in an email, says school officials learned late Friday night that a male student had brought a .25 caliber handgun to school.
School officials notified parents about the situation via text messages and voice mails Monday afternoon.
The Bedford Police Department than launched what Schlegel called "a swift and vigorous investigation" with the help of school staff members.
With the cooperation of the accused student's guardian, police validated the report, and then found and recovered the weapon.
The student was taken to the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center and the school has implemented disciplinary action. Parsley says the child will face a charge of having a gun on school property.
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