Staff Reports
FORT THOMAS – On Oct. 6, around 2:20 p.m., authorities at Fort Thomas Junior High School discovered prohibited weapons on a 14-year-old student during football practice preparations.
A fellow student alerted school staff after spotting black brass knuckles in the teen’s pocket. The observer had noticed the item the previous week and informed the football coach, but raised the alarm again that day.
The principal quickly responded, directing a counselor to the boys’ locker room. The student was brought to the office for questioning. Initially, he denied possession, claiming only a photo existed on his phone, which he said was with a friend. But soon after, he confessed to hiding both brass knuckles and a knife in his athletic locker.
Staff retrieved the items from the pocket of his brown khaki pants: black brass knuckles with tape wrapped around the handle and an 8.5-inch folding knife with a 3.5-inch sharp stainless steel blade. The weapons were photographed, documented, and secured as evidence.
Witnesses described the display as non-threatening, like showing off. The student explained he carried them for self-defense in his high-risk neighborhood, where past mistakes had drawn threats. He said he only used them after school near the bus stop, with no intent to harm or intimidate anyone at school.
A school secretary confirmed the area’s dangers, noting she avoids it entirely. The counselor, who searched the student’s backpack and person—finding nothing—praised his recent efforts to improve as a respectful student but stressed the choices were unacceptable.
The teen, a junior high football team member, was immediately removed from the squad, suspended, and charged under state law for a minor possessing deadly weapons on school grounds.
The incident has been referred to Graham County Juvenile Probation and the County Attorney’s Office for further review. School officials emphasize zero tolerance for weapons to ensure safety.
