Leon Co. sheriff’s office doubles down against weapons in school

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Just five days until Leon County students return to school and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office says guns or other weapons will not be tolerated on campus.

The sheriff’s office says during the first semester of school last year, they removed 15 weapons from eight different schools that included seven guns, mix handguns and BB guns.

This year the LCSO ant to see a decrease in that number.

Now deputies say there is no difference between when a student brings a BB gun versus when they bring a handgun because they both appear to be real and serious injuries can come from both.

LCSO says other weapons they removed included brass knuckles, knives, stun guns, pepper spray and an ice pick. All of which are not allowed.

Captain Bobby Green with the LCSO says, in working with students, he found many kids are actually not bringing weapons to school to do harm

“We always interview the kids when we do make an arrest, they’re for protection. And of course, if you know about the heightened violence in the community, that’s what the reason was for,” Captain Green said. ‘It was not for school violence it was because maybe possibly they’re getting bullied or something happened off campus and they feel they have to protect themselves .. and that is the state of mind that we’re in right now.”

Now despite the reason behind it, Captain Green says weapons are still not allowed and parents play a bug part in that.

Captain Green says parents need to check students’ bookbags to know what kids are bringing to school each day.

Now it’s important to note there is a zero-tolerance policy for bringing weapons to school and the Leon County School District says students will be expelled if they do not follow that policy.

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