MESQUITE, Texas — Horn High School officials in Mesquite found a gun in a student's backpack on the first day of classes Monday, according to a news release from the district.
Officials said they found the gun on a student during arrival on campus on Monday. Administrators were able to find the gun "while enforcing the district's new clear bag policy," officials said.
Mesquite police said in a news release they were notified by school police about "suspicious behavior from a student."
The school policy called on anyone who did not have a clear backpack to have their bag stored in a secure room. One student became "argumentative" with staffers about storing his bag away. When the student complied, officials "observed him attempt to conceal his bag among the others in the room."
School resource officers responded to the incident, bringing along a K9, which "indicated there was the presence of odor associated with firearms or ammunition in the bag."
Police searched the student's backpack and found a Ruger 9mm firearm, police said. Investigators ran a check of the gun on a computer and found that it had been previously stolen.
The student, who is 17, was arrested on a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon in a place where weapons are prohibited, police said.
The student also faces discipline, according to the district's student code of conduct.
District officials said they weren't aware of any threats made toward the district related to the incident.
"Clear backpacks are not a single solution to ensure campus safety; however, today’s incident shows they can be an important part of a multi-layered safety plan," the release said.
The release asked students, staff and parents to always report any safety concerns related to school. The district uses P3 Campus, an anonymous online reporting tool, to field safety concerns and tips.
Mesquite's new clear bag policy this year allows for only clear backpacks, totes and purses. According to the policy, all items inside a student's bag must be visible, though students are allowed to carry a small non-clear bag for personal items, such as money and hygiene products.
The district provides one clear backpack for free to any student who requests one. The district said it implemented the bag policy as "one tool in MISD's multifaceted approach to school safety."
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