GARDENA, Calif. — Gardena High School did not follow a district policy requiring random daily metal-detector scans on the day of an accidental shooting. A student brought a gun onto campus in his backpack on Jan. 18 and unintentionally discharged the weapon when he put his backpack on a desk.
The student was arrested and transported to a Downey juvenile detention facility, ABC News reports. He is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Two students were hit by the bullet, one of which is in critical condition.
Investigators are still searching for the backpack that contained the weapon, which the student was able to dispose of after the shooting, perhaps with help from accompliances. Two other teenagers arrested Wednesday are accused of concealing the backpack and gun on behalf of the suspect.
Incoming Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy told the Associated Press that the school’s daily logs have not been thoroughly reviewed, but it appears that campus metal-detector scans were sporadic.
Related Articles: