2 Middle School Students Arrested After Loaded Gun Found On Campus

REDLANDS, CA — Two Cope Middle School students, ages 13 and 14, were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon after a loaded gun was found in a trash receptacle inside a restroom at the campus, the Redlands Police Department announced.

According to the department, officers were called to the school at 1000 W. Cypress Avenue earlier Tuesday due to a bomb threat that was called into the campus.

After searching the school grounds with a police K-9, officers determined the threat was unfounded. But as officers were wrapping up their investigation, they were told a student was seen discarding a handgun into a restroom trash can. A search turned up the loaded firearm, according to Redlands police.

Further investigation revealed the 14-year-old boy brought the weapon to school and the 13-year-old boy was the one who dumped it, police reported.

After searching the boys' homes, they were both arrested for possession of a loaded firearm on school grounds, according to police.

There was no word on how the 14-year-old accessed the weapon in the first place.

Due to their ages, further information about the boys was not released.

No injuries were reported.