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Police: Teen Brings BB Gun, Pot To Bronson School

Alachua County public school students scored better than the statewide average in the Florida Standards Assessments, according to a press release. This is the second year that students took the new Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) in English language arts, math and the algebra and geometry end-of-course exams. Students are still taking the FCAT 2.0 exam in science and in the biology, civics and U.S. History end-of-course exams. (File photo/WUFT News)
Alachua County public school students scored better than the statewide average in the Florida Standards Assessments, according to a press release. This is the second year that students took the new Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) in English language arts, math and the algebra and geometry end-of-course exams. Students are still taking the FCAT 2.0 exam in science and in the biology, civics and U.S. History end-of-course exams. (File photo/WUFT News)

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Levy County Lt. Scott Tummond and a Bronson Middle-High School parent.

A 14-year-old Bronson Middle-High School student was suspended Monday for bringing a BB gun and marijuana onto school property.

School officials heard about the BB gun the student was carrying from a friend, Levy County Sheriff's Office Lt. Scott Tummond told WUFT.

"Apparently, the student that had this little BB pistol, which was eventually identified as a CO2-powered BB pistol, was bragging about it to one of his buddies," he said.

The friend told officials shortly after the school busses arrived on campus for the day, Tummond said.

The 14-year-old, who knew his friend reported the BB gun, figured he was in trouble and went straight to the school's clinic instead of to class, according to Tummond.

Upon searching the 14-year-old’s backpack, officials found the BB gun, about 2 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

“I am very proud of [the] student who immediately reported seeing this,” Levy County Sheriff McCallum said in the release. “I know how much courage this took. He set a true example for all of his classmates to follow.”

School officials contacted the 14-year-old’s father and asked that he come pick up his son.

Along with the school’s suspension, the sheriff’s office charged the student with possession of a weapon on school property, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the release said.

School parent Emily Alicea said she was frustrated that the school didn't proactively release information about the incident.

Even though no one got hurt, she said she would have liked to have been told. Instead, she found out Tuesday, a day after the incident, from a post on the “Levy Word of Mouth” Facebook page.

The post doesn't distinguish between a BB gun and an actual firearm.

Alicea said that school Principal Gary Masters should have informed parents.

“I don’t even know if I want my kids to go to school in a school like that, where a principal does not care at all about the parents or the students feelings," she said.

“Pellets hurt; BB guns, they hurt," Alicea added. "So my kid could’ve easily got harmed."

Masters told WUFT questions should be directed to Superintendent Robert Hastings, who couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

Krystalle is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 305-978-8579 or emailing krystalle.pinilla@gmail.com