Charges: Minneapolis student brought loaded handgun to school

A 17-year-old student was charged Tuesday with bringing a loaded semiautomatic handgun into Patrick Henry High School in north Minneapolis Monday.

The Minneapolis teen told police he had the gun for protection; no injuries were reported. He was charged in Hennepin County juvenile court with one count of felony possession of ammunition and an assault weapon.

The Minneapolis School District said the case was an isolated incident.

"…The weapon appeared to be related to activity outside of school," the district said in a written statement. "There was no apparent or immediate threat to our students or staff in the building. Working in collaboration with the Minneapolis Police Department, we dealt with the situation quickly and appropriately."

According to the complaint: A confidential informant contacted Minneapolis police and reported that they saw someone with a handgun at the school located at 4320 Newton Avenue N. The charges did not specify who the informant was, nor when and where the gun was spotted.

An officer shared the suspect's description with school staff, who identified the student. A search of the student revealed a 9-milimeter handgun in his coat pocket. It had one round in the chamber, the charges said.

The student told police he had the gun for protection, was not a gang member and was not aware of anyone who wanted to harm him.

Patrick Henry Principal Yusuf Abdullah sent a message to families about the incident.

"Maintaining a safe and secure environment at our schools is a top priority," he said, in part. "Weapons of any kind, including look-alike weapons, are strictly prohibited on school property, and we are committed to following the MPS discipline policy in all matters involving weapons."

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib