HALIFAX – Halifax police arrested a 17-year-old boy at a Bedford high school on Thursday after finding a loaded sawed-off rifle and a knife in his backpack.
Police received a tip that the boy at Charles P. Allen High School was in possession of a firearm. Officers went to the school and notified school officials, who helped police identify the suspect.
The boy was taken into the school office where the rifle and knife were found in his backpack, and police arrested him around noon.
Police said there is no indication the teen planned to use the weapons. They are still investigating and said charges are anticipated.
Students at the school said the building was not locked down and they were not officially alerted about the situation, instead finding out via social media.
“I was out at lunchtime and I saw all the cops there and they took the guy out in handcuffs,” said Kaitlyn Hann.
“I saw a whole bunch of cop cars and I was wondering what was happening. I thought it was a lockdown or something,” said Coral Bowser.
School board officials said the system worked as it should, and parents will receive a phone message notifying them of the incident.
“Once they identified who the person might be, they willingly cooperated and the school didn’t feel there was a need to put the school into a lockdown because the matter had been dealt with and police were still on site,” said Doug Hadley, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional School Board.
With files from Brett Ruskin, Global News
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