LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools said a weapon found at Pleasure Ridge Park High School Wednesday was a pellet gun that appeared to be a real gun.
JCPS originally reported a gun was found in a trash can during a search of the premises after an altercation between four students. The building was secure and under heightened security throughout the school day.
MetroSafe confirmed police responded to a report of a fight at PRP around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Video taken inside the school shows students fighting. One student can be seen reaching into their backpack and students scatter.
In the video, it is unclear what the student may have grabbed from their backpack, but students notified staff of the possibility of a gun. PRP went into a level 5 lockdown and everyone involved in the incident was located.
JCPS Communications Manager Mark Hebert said authorities did not find anything during their first search of the building, but later found a weapon outside the school building. Further investigation revealed the weapon was a pellet gun that appeared to be a real gun.
According to dispatch recordings of the initial report, police also asked that Greenwood Elementary, a nearby school, be on lockdown. An officer did say over radio that they saw "absolutely nothing" when they arrived on scene.
JCPS said the student who brought the gun has been charged with having a weapon on school property. Parents were able to pick up students early, discussing their frustration with the situation.
"I think it's a fail all around," guardian Jack Holt said. "I mean everyone is worried about masks, but then they seem to have forgotten about school shootings in our country. It's a failure on the parents, it's a failure on JCPS and it's a failure on the school itself. No child here was safe. Every child was lucky."
A woman who identified herself as the grandmother of the student who allegedly brought the gun said her grandson is a freshman and brought the weapon to defend himself against a group of students he had issues with for years.
The student's grandmother said she understands why her grandson is being charged, but said she wants to see other students punished for their actions.
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