BURNSVILLE, Minn. – A student at Burnsville High School is facing charges after being arrested when a gun was found on school premises. The teenager is charged with two offenses: possessing a dangerous weapon on school grounds and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person under 18. Authorities were alerted to the situation on Tuesday morning following a report from a school official. Concerns were raised by students who had witnessed the suspect recording a video of himself with a gun in a school bathroom. Upon being taken to the dean’s office, the student was discovered to have a fully loaded handgun in his backpack.
According to a news release from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, the teen stated that he had purchased the gun from an unidentified individual for personal protection at school. However, there were no reported threats of harm or violence directed at him, nor did he make any threats against other students. The suspect was taken into custody on Tuesday and was held at the Juvenile Services Center in Hastings. He appeared in court on Thursday and is expected to return later this month for further proceedings.