PLANT CITY, Fla. (CBS12) — A fight at Plant City High School on Friday led to the discovery of two guns in backpacks—one loaded—prompting the arrest of four teens.
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office say that around 1:40 p.m., multiple students were involved in an on-campus altercation that turned physical.
School administrators reportedly de-escalated the fight and separated the students involved.
A subsequent investigation revealed that two 14-year-old students, Pedro Pascual-Perez and Pedro Perez-Jimenez, gave their backpacks to 15-year-old Francisco Ramos-Pedro and 14-year-old Charlin Silvan-Carmen, who attempted to hide them on campus.
A school resource deputy managed to locate both backpacks and discovered two firearms, one of which was loaded.
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“Bringing firearms onto a school campus is a serious and dangerous decision that puts students and staff at risk. Thankfully, this situation was contained before anyone was hurt,” said HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We have zero tolerance for weapons on our campuses, and we will take quick action to hold those responsible accountable.”
Pascual-Perez and Perez-Jimenez were both booked for counts of Possession of a Firearm on School Property, Minor in Possession of a Firearm, and Disrupting School Campus or Function.
The students who hid the backpacks, Ramos-Pedro and Silvan-Carmen, were also arrested and booked for count of Tampering With Physical Evidence, Possession of a Firearm on School Property, and Minor in Possession of a Firearm.