Student Brings Gun To Crofton High School: Police

CROFTON, MD — A student was arrested and accused of bringing a gun to Crofton High School on Wednesday, Anne Arundel County Police said.

Officers identified the suspect as 18-year-old Cameron Jayce Harris of Crofton, who was brought to the attention of authorities as a school bus driver sought to identify students smoking on the morning bus ride, Crofton High School Principal Greg Ryan said in a letter to families.

The bus driver did not know the names of the students, but Ryan said administrators used camera footage to identify two connected students. A student was brought to the office around 11:15 a.m. to discuss the smoking.

Ryan said administrators found a revolver, which wasn't loaded, and five loose bullets in the student's backpack.

The school resource officer confiscated the unloaded handgun and the bullets, authorities said. Harris was later charged as a result.

Ryan said nobody reported any suspicion of a student with a gun before the backpack search.

"We brought the student to the office to discuss the smoking incident and it was that investigation that led to the discovery of the gun," Ryan said in his letter. "Given that the student and the gun were in our office and were separated as soon as the gun was discovered and that at that time [there] was no active threat, there was no need to interrupt our normal instructional schedule."

Ryan does not think the student showed the gun to anybody, but he also said he's heard that some people may have known about the weapon. Those details are still under investigation.

"Clearly, this is an issue that we take with the utmost seriousness and I urge you to discuss it openly with your student this evening," Ryan said. "Please convey the timeline of events as I have laid them out here and help your student understand that everything we did from the minute we discovered the gun was designed to keep them safe."

Ryan asked anybody with safety concerns to tell a responsible adult or call the 24/7 Safe Schools Maryland Hotline at 833-MD-B-SAFE.

"We know this information will raise fears and anxiety among students," Ryan said. "I ask you to help calm that fear and anxiety, but also to convey to your student that our counselors and other Student Services team members are available to speak with them should there be that need."

This is breaking news. Patch is currently updating this story with comments from the school. Check back soon for more details.

Patch Editor Jacob Baumgart reported this story.