Brooklyn Park police have arrested two 15-year-old students at Champlin Park High School for allegedly bringing a handgun to school.
Both teens were arrested and booked Friday at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center without incident, according to authorities. The investigation is ongoing.
Police first learned at about 8:45 a.m. Friday that a Champlin Park student may have a handgun. Officers worked with the school resource officer to determine the students allegedly involved and found a handgun inside a backpack.
The two male students were then arrested. Authorities did not say why the handgun was taken to the school or whether it was loaded; Brooklyn Park police were unavailable Saturday for comment.
In a message sent to parents and staff Friday, Champlin Park principal Michael George shared news of the incident and warned that students who bring guns to class will be referred to authorities.
“School administration and law enforcement took immediate action to investigate and resolve the concern. All students and staff are safe,” George wrote.
Jim Skelly, a spokesperson for Anoka-Hennepin Schools, said the teens were apprehended within minutes. “Because this matter was resolved quickly and there was no threat to students or staff, our school did not go into a lockdown or any other safety procedure,” he said.
Recent Minnesota Star Tribune analysis of state data shows the number of guns found on school grounds has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years, officials statewide recovered nearly 200 firearms, more than half of which were handguns.
