On the first day of the school year, a 16-year-old boy was arrested at Mariposa County High School in possession of a BB gun.
On Monday, Aug. 17, students alerted staff to a new student who was bragging about possessing a weapon, the Mariposa Gazette has learned.
A school resource officer talked to the student, found the BB gun and arrested the student without incident, said a Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
The juvenile was detained and was “subsequently returned to the appropriate authorities in the juvenile’s county of legal residence,” said Mariposa County Chief Probation Officer Ryan Oliphant.
In a message to parents the district said, “The matter was addressed quickly and appropriately.”
“At no time was there a specific threat to students or staff; therefore, a lock down was not necessary,” the district said.
“We encourage all parents and guardians to speak with their children about the importance of reporting any suspicious items, behaviors, or concerns to a trusted adult, staff member or school administrator,” read the statement.
In many cases, modern BB guns resemble actual firearms, which makes distinguishing the threat difficult for law enforcement and school officials.
The criminal and education codes reflect this dangerous ambiguity.
In California, BB guns are classified as dangerous weapons in the context of a school environment. Bringing a BB gun to a K-12 school is considered a “wobbler” offense, that can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
Under the California Education Code, possession of any firearm — including BB guns — requires the school principal to immediately suspend the student and recommend them for expulsion
But with juvenile suspects, the public’s right to know is extremely limited.
Under the California Welfare and Institutions Code all juvenile records are strictly confidential. The code prohibits releasing information that would identify, or could reasonably lead to the identification, of the juvenile.
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