Student arrested at Texas high school with pistol, rifle in his vehicle

Texas police reported on Wednesday that a high school student had been arrested after having what appeared to be a pistol and rifle in his vehicle just one day after an elementary school in the state became the scene of a mass shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead.

Police in Richardson, Texas, located roughly 15 miles northeast of Dallas, said in a Facebook post they launched a search at Berkner High School following a call just before 11 a.m. local time reporting a male who looked like he was holding a rifle and had last been seen walking toward the school.

“Based on the information provided and in collaboration with Richardson ISD, officers were able to identify the male suspect as a juvenile student of Berkner High School. The suspect was located inside Berkner High School, but no weapons were found,” police said. 

“Further investigation led to the discovery of a vehicle used by the suspect in the parking lot of 1551 East Spring Valley Road. Inside the vehicle, officers observed what appeared to be an AK-47 style pistol and a replica AR-15 style Orbeez rifle.”

Police did not release the name of the suspect but said he had been arrested and charged with unlawfully carrying weapons in a weapon-free school zone.

For close to an hour, Berkner High School was placed on lockdown until police gave the all-clear, according to a spokesperson from Richardson Independent School District, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

The development comes as the nation is still reeling after the deadly Uvalde, Texas, shooting that took place on Tuesday. Uvalde is located more than 300 miles southwest of Richardson. 

The Hill has reached out to the Richardson Independent School District for comment.