Texas student caught with firearms outside school day after mass shooting horror
A student in Texas, United States, was caught with firearms outside a high school in Richardson city, the police department said, a day after mass shooting in the US state sent shockwaves across the world.
In a statement, the Richardson Police Department said that it received a phone call at 10.55 am (local time) in the 1500 block of East Spring Valley Road, reporting a male holding what appeared to be a rifle. “The male was last seen walking towards Berkner High School, located at 1600 East Spring Valley Road,” the police department said.
“Within minutes of the call being dispatched, numerous police officers from various units within the Richardson Police Department responded to Berkner High School and initiated a search and investigation into this incident. Nearby schools were notified of the police activity,” the statement added.
The male suspect was identified as a “juvenile student” of the high school. He was located inside the school, but no weapons were found.
However, a further probe led to the discovery of a vehicle used by the suspect in the parking lot of 1551 East Spring Valley Road. “Inside the vehicle, officers observed what appeared to be an AK-47 style pistol and a replica AR-15 style Orbeez rifle,” the Richardson Police Department also said in its statement.
The suspect has been arrested and charged with Unlawful Carrying Weapons in a Weapon-Free School Zone, T.P.C. 46.02, a State Jail Felony, the police added.
This incident comes a day after a deadly shootout at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde city of Texas – 19 students and two teachers were among those who lost lives.
The gunman was identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. Before carrying out the rampage at the elementary school, Ramos posted an online message warning that he was going to “shoot up an elementary school”. He had also shot his grandmother before heading to the school.
Ramos was shot by the police.
The shootout at the Robb Elementary School again sparked criticism of the constitutionally protected US gun laws, especially those allowing the sale of automatic weapons to people under the age of 21.