Student Arrested With Loaded Handgun At Absegami High School [UPDATED]

Galloway Township, NJ -- A 15-year-old student was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon on school property and possession of a defaced firearm after being found with a loaded gun on school property on Friday, Galloway Township Police said.

The gun was not fired and no one was injured.

Police responded to the school for a report of a student on campus with a handgun at about 2 p.m. At that time, the student was was in gym class, which was outside in the area of the track/football field bleachers.

Police and school personnel responded to the field where the student was, at which point lockdown announcements were made over the school's loudspeakers.

When the student saw the officers approaching, police said he reached into his left front pants pocket, grasping something, and ran out of view of the officers.

When police ultimately detained him at the edge of the bleachers, he had nothing in his pockets and no weapon in his possession.

Out of fear that the weapon had been passed on to another student, police ordered all students to lay on the ground. They were then patted down for weapons and removed from the area. Once all the students were relocated, the area was searched.

Police said they finally found a 380 Jimenez Arms automatic pistol under the bleachers, in the area the student had run to.

At that point, the lockdown, which lasted about 40 minutes, was lifted and students were escorted to their buses or otherwise released, police said.

Other area schools delayed dismissal and remained in a “shelter in place” mode until the Absegami grounds were cleared. Dismissal was delayed by 20 minutes.

After being arrested, the student was lodged in Atlantic County Juvenile Detention Center.

Additional officers from Absecon Police, Mullica Township Police, and members of Atlantic County SWAT also responded to assist.

The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Ryan Goehringer at 609-652-3705, ext. 331. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Atlantic County Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477.