MOUNT DORA, Florida—For the second time in a week a Lake County Schools student has been found with a loaded gun on campus.
A Mount Dora Middle School guidance counselor received information that two students were seen vaping on the soccer field Friday. The guidance counselor asked for the school resource officer (SRO) to assist her, and they were able to identify the two students on video surveillance, according to an arrest affidavit.
After identifying the boys, the principal and the SRO pulled one of them out of his classroom to search him for the vape. The boy, 15, denied vaping on the field and said he was looking for his earphones. The teen was hesitant to have his backpack searched, the SRO noted in the affidavit.
Inside Lake is not naming the teen due to his age.
The teen emptied his pockets and prevented the principal from searching his backpack and reportedly said, “I don’t have anything in my backpack.” The SRO opened the backpack and found a loaded Taurus 9mm G2 PT111, according to the affidavit. The gun was not reported as stolen.
The teenager was arrested for possession of a firearm on school campus and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
On May 13, a 16-year-old Leesburg High School student was also found with a loaded gun when his backpack was searched after a vaping allegation from a substitute teacher.
