A 15-year-old male was taken into custody on the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 20 at Lexington High School. Lexington’s head football coach Taylor Gerhardt reportedly found a handgun in the student’s backpack during a football practice. The student was not participating in the practice.
According to Lexington Police Department’s (LPD) press release, the call was made at 7:23 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
According to Superintendent Mike Ziegelhofer, Gerhardt was notified of the male carrying a handgun by another undisclosed student. The student was not there to attend football practice because he was not registered to play on the team; he was attending practice as an observer.
The 15-year-old, whose name has not been released, reportedly brought the handgun for protection from students from his former school in Mansfield. He and his family had recently moved to the Lexington school district, and he told Gerhardt he was “still being hassled.”
According to the LPD, charges are pending; however, it is unclear whether the student will be charged as an adult or a minor.
Principal Jeremy Secrist reportedly sent a request to the superintendent for approval of a suspension for 10 days with a recommendation of expulsion per the Dangerous Weapons Policy in the school’s student handbook.
The policy states: Students in the Lexington School District are prohibited from bringing a firearm on school property, in a school vehicle, or to any school-sponsored activity. If a student violates this rule the superintendent shall expel this student from school for a period of one calendar year.
