Johnston Police are investigating after a student brought a BB gun to school that looked like a hand gun.
A School Resource Officer at Summit Middle School was informed by staff members Monday afternoon that a student had a weapon on school property.
The look-alike gun was taken without incident.
Full release from the city of Johnston below:
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, at approximately 2:45 p.m., a Johnston Police Department School Resource Officer was informed by staff members at Summit Middle School of a report of a student with a weapon on school property. The School Resource Officer responded quickly with school administrators to remove the student from the general student population into an isolated area. The reported weapon was recovered and secured by police officials without major incident. All persons involved in this situation are safe, and the incident remains under investigation.
Below is an image of the look-alike firearm seized in this incident vs. the firearm model it was manufactured to represent. The Johnston Police Department encourages parents to take this opportunity to engage their child(ren) in important, age-appropriate discussions about personal safety and the need to immediately report observed concerns to a trusted adult.
Regarding this incident, Johnston Police Chief Dennis McDaniel stated, “The Johnston Police Department has a long-standing, successful partnership with the Johnston Community School District working together to facilitate the safety and well-being of the students and staff in our district. We are proud of the collaborative relationship, and today is a great example of what a School Resource Officer can offer to a community. The police department and the school district will continue to work together to fully understand the circumstances involved in this incident and seek to provide the necessary services to the young persons involved.”
No further information is being released at this time as this is an active criminal investigation. The middle school student(s) identity in this incident is not anticipated to be released due to Iowa’s juvenile confidentiality laws.
Photo of BB gun confiscated on Feb. 9, 2021, at Summit Middle School
Photo of actual Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun