Two 10-year-old students were arrested for the sale of a gun at a Florida elementary school, according to police. The mother of the gun-dealing boy — who is a deputy — has been placed on administrative leave following the startling accusations coming to light.
In February, the 10-year-old son of a deputy agreed to sell a handgun to a fellow student for $300. The gun reportedly belonged to the boy’s father, who is now deceased.
On Wednesday morning, the Country Oaks Elementary School was placed under a “brief” lockdown after the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office received a tip about “a suspicious incident” on campus in Labelle, Florida.
“Hendry County School Deputies along with the Hendry County School District Employees and school staff quickly looked into the situation and together resolved it,” the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden stated, “The school was placed on a brief lockdown. Employees and school staff quickly resolved it. This is an isolated incident and I want to assure everyone that at no time were the students, staff, and school administration in danger.”
Law enforcement reportedly discovered ammunition in the backpack of the boy who purchased the gun.
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office said the gun was later located in the backyard under a shed of the boy who purchased the firearm. Police said they also found a bag containing approximately 74 grams of marijuana near the gun.
Both boys were arrested.
The 10-year-old boy was charged with the purchase of a firearm by a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm on school property, and possession of marijuana over 20 grams.
The deputy’s son was hit with charges of selling a firearm to a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm on school property, and grand theft of a firearm.
The mother of the boy who sold the gun is a Hendry County deputy. She was placed on administrative leave pending an administrative investigation.
Since their arrests, both 10-year-old students have been in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Hendry County Superintendent Michael Swindle said, “It’s heartbreaking. We focus on education, but society has gotten us to a place where, we don’t know what led us to this in this child’s life, but this is a very sad situation.”
[embedded content]LaBelle parents upset with “lack of information” from officials during school lockdownwww.youtube.com
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Source: TheBlaze
