Allegedly threatened another student with it
By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – A 16-year-old Thatcher High School student was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and transported to Juvenile Detention after reportedly bringing an unloaded firearm onto campus and threatening another student with it.
According to Thatcher Police reports, the perpetrator was referred to Juvenile Probation for possession of a deadly weapon on school property, aggravated assault, and misconduct with a handgun.
The student told officers that he had taken the gun from his grandparents’ house in Globe over the previous weekend and unloaded it. He said he planned to sell the firearm for clothes money.
However, during the school’s fire drill, he allegedly called over a student he was beefing with and opened his backpack to reveal a handgun. The victim said the student then pointed the gun at his chest and asked, “If he still wanted some.” To which the victim replied, “No,” and backed up and told another student about it.
Three students then reported seeing the handgun to Principal Ryan Conrad, according to Thatcher Police reports, who called in the School Resource Officer. The officer notified Thatcher Police Chief Glen Orr, and multiple other Thatcher officers were dispatched to assist.
While looking up where the student would be on his schedule, officers located him standing near a bathroom with other school members. The student did not have his backpack with him; however, it was subsequently found in one of the bathroom stalls.
Inside the backpack, officers located an unloaded Springfield .45 caliber handgun and two vape pens. The students had gone into the bathroom to use the vapes, and when they saw the police presence, the student left his backpack with the handgun and vapes in the bathroom.
When asked about the incident, the student declined, pointed the gun at the victim, and said he just showed the handle.
After the interview concluded, the student was arrested and referred to Juvenile Probation for the charges listed above.
