TAMPA, Fla. – A student at Hillsborough High School was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after being discovered with a loaded gun on campus.
According to police, on Wednesday, the school resource officer at Hillsborough High School, located at 5000 Central Avenue in Tampa, was notified by an anonymous student that another student was in possession of a firearm on campus.
The SRO immediately attempted to locate the student, who was not in her designated class. The SRO and school staff were able to locate the female student during dismissal near the bus ramp. She was escorted to the gymnasium where her backpack was searched.
The student was found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm firearm wrapped in a t-shirt inside her bag. Jayleen Hernandez, 15, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property (felony) and minor in possession of a firearm (misdemeanor).
“There is no greater priority for our officers than student safety, and we are thankful that our SRO took the information shared with him seriously, taking action to find this student and secure a weapon that could have been used to cause serious harm to others,” said Chief Mary O’Connor. “Just one month into the new school year, I cannot stress enough that it is critical for students, teachers and staff to speak up when they are made aware of a threat such as this. See Something, Say Something. In this case, it could have saved lives.”
The investigation into this incident, including how Hernandez was able to gain access to a gun and her motive for bringing the weapon on campus, is ongoing.
Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Tampa Area Local News, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GiveSendGo or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.
Copyright 2022 The Free Press, LLC, tampafp.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.