GRESHAM, Ore. — Teachers and school administrators will meet on Monday following the arrest of an armed Gresham High School student on Friday. The student threatened a pedestrian with a gun outside the school and then brought the weapon inside, according to Gresham police.
Late Friday morning, someone reported to Gresham High School staff that they had been threatened with a gun. The victim believed that the suspect was a student at the school and had taken the weapon into the building. Staff identified the student, contacted police and "moved the student to a secure area," Gresham police said.
The student admitted to being armed, Gresham police said. Officers found a nine-millimeter gun and a full magazine in the student's backpack. They were taken into custody and their case was referred to juvenile court. The identity of the student has not been released because of their age.
Gresham police did not release any information regarding whether the student and the person who was allegedly threatened know each other.
The teacher's union, the Gresham-Barlow Education Association (GBEA), told KGW that a teacher made a report to building administration expressing concern about the student's behavior more than three days before the incident on Friday and received no response. Leaders with GBEA also said they are concerned whether district protocols do enough to mitigate potential threats.
"Many teachers report that they received the notice of this student bringing a loaded gun to school via email about five minutes before the administration notified parents of the event via Parent Square," the union said in a statement. "Teachers with students in their classrooms received no prompt from administration to check their email or follow safety protocols during the event."
GBEA said it will take part in a debrief with district administration, building administration and campus monitors on Monday. Meanwhile, the school's student union plans to hold a meeting about the incident Monday afternoon.
KGW has reached out to the school district and has not heard back.