Officers with the Chesterton Police Department took a Chesterton High School student into custody Tuesday afternoon after a gun reportedly was discovered in the student’s vehicle in the campus parking lot.
The department “is actively investigating this incident and no further details will be released at this time,” police said in a statement on Facebook. “This was an isolated incident and there is no known threat to students at CHS or the Chesterton Community.”
According to a statement from the Duneland School Corporation, police arrested the student at 2:35 p.m. for the alleged possession of a handgun inside the student’s vehicle.
“Although the administration doesn’t believe the handgun ever entered the school building, weapons of any kind are not allowed on school grounds. When the handgun was observed in the student’s vehicle late (Tuesday) afternoon, two students reported the incident to the school administration,” school officials said in their statement.
Law enforcement was immediately notified and efforts were made to locate the student at his residence.
By the time the report was delivered to the administration, the student had already left school grounds. Since the student was no longer on school grounds, the building was not placed into protective measures, school officials said.
“However, additional law enforcement personnel, including Duneland School Corporation School Resource Officers (SROs), were dispatched to the exterior of the high school for precautionary measures,” school officials said.
When the student’s vehicle was observed near the intersection of South 11th Street and West County Road 1100 North, law enforcement personnel stopped the vehicle and detained the student.
“CHS administration is thankful for the students who brought this incident to the attention of the administration,” officials said. “See Something, Say Something is an important part of the Duneland School Corporation’s safety plan. We encourage all students to report violations of school rules or perceived safety violations to a trusted adult.”
