Redding Police Investigate Middle School Students Over Gun Photos, Comments

Redding police investigated two separate incidents of 13-year-old middle school students posting Instagram photos of firearms with questionable comments on Dec. 5. However, in both cases police determined the student had no immediate access to firearms and no weapons were actually brought to school, according to Chief Douglas Fuchs.

"Both incidents were investigated jointly with school administration and at no time were students ever in any actual danger," he said.

According to the first complaint made at 8:35 a.m., a student transmitted a picture of two weapons which, after investigation, turned out to be "air soft" type facsimile firearms with the comment: "I think I'm ready to go to school :-) ".

In this incident the juvenile was a 13-year-old male. Fuchs said the student was immediately located, found to have no weapons, and after an investigation was charged with disorderly conduct. He was released to the custody of a parent. Redding Police seized both weapons, one of which had the orange colored tip — which identifies it as a facsimile firearm — removed.

Then at 5:30 p.m., another student transmitted a picture of a weapon, which, after investigation, turned out to be a photo he obtained from the Internet. Police said he posted it with the comment, "Damn I love revolvers". This incident is still under investigation.