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LOS ANGELES – A Glassell Park Elementary School student brought a handgun to campus Wednesday, school officials said.Â
In a statement to the school community, Principal Claudia Pelayo simply said “a handgun was found on campus” Wednesday.Â
Pelayo said that the school “took immediate action” and notified the student’s parents. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the student was just 10 years old, and brought a loaded .40-caliber Glock 22 to school.Â
The school said it was able to “secure” the weapon, and the Los Angeles School Police Department and Region West Operations are investigating how the gun got to school.
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Wednesday’s incident at Glassell Park Elementary is the latest in what seems to be a rising trend at LAUSD schools. According to that same LA Times report, there were 669 weapon “incidents” at LAUSD schools during the 2018-19 school year, a drop from the previous year. Incidents went up during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. This year through April 15, according to the Times, there were 903 weapons incidents.
Some parents view the issue as so dire, they presented a petition to the Board of Education this week, demanding an increase to the school police budget, which was cut in 2020.
Pelayo’s statement also said that “In an abundance of caution the Los Angeles School Police Department will be providing on-campus support and extra patrols for the remainder of the week.”