UPDATE 4/25/24 6:30 p.m.
MT. PLEASANT — The Isabella County prosecutor said charges will not be filed against the parents of a 17-year-old student who took a gun to school
That gun was found inside his backpack as he arrived at the alternative high school, Oasis, in Mt. Pleasant.
Prosecutor David Barberi said the new safe storage laws that punish gun owners, if kids get a hold of those guns, don’t apply here. Barberi said the student purchased the gun, which Barberi said was stolen, from someone else.
The teenager faces charges for bringing the weapon to school and he could be charged as an adult. No one was injured in the incident.
4/24/24 7:00 p.m.
MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant Police Department said Wednesday that a student was arrested after bringing a gun to Oasis High School.
On Wednesday around 8:20 a.m., officers from the Mt. Pleasant Police Department Youth Services Unit said they were contacted by a Mt. Pleasant Public Schools administrator.
“One of our Youth Services officers got a call from administration that they had gotten a tip that a student was bringing a weapon to school,” said David Coffman, Public Information Officer.
The Youth Services Unit officer immediately made contact with the 17-year-old male suspect, without incident they said. Police said a gun was found in the student’s backpack. He was placed into custody and is cooperating.
Police credited work by the Sheriff’s Office, City Police and the school with the successful arrest.
“This is a really good, in our mind, picture of that of teamwork, collaboration and just helping get everybody on the same page [to] stop things before they can escalate to something significantly worse,” said Coffman.
Once completed, the results of the investigation will be sent to the prosecutor’s office.
“We’re looking at charging him with a carrying a concealed weapon, as well as bringing a weapon into a weapons-free school zone area,” said David Barberi, Isabella County prosecutor. He said they will also consider charging the student as an adult.
Related: Isabella County prosecutor says he will not seek reelection
They are also investigating whether the suspect intended to use the gun, but Barberi said based on the evidence so far they have not seen that motive.
“We have not been able to link the weapon to any type of a school threat of violence or anything of that nature. We’re still investigating the case from that perspective.”
Police said this was an isolated incident and there is no potential risk to students or the public. Mt. Pleasant Public Schools declined our request for an interview but said they sent out a letter to parents letting them know what happened.
Anyone with further information regarding this incident are asked to contact the Mt. Pleasant Police Department’s Anonymous Tip Line at 989-779-9111 or Isabella County Central Dispatch 989-773-1000.
The Mt. Pleasant Police Department was assisted by the Isabella County Sheriff’s Office and Isabella County Central Dispatch.
