Sheboygan police arrest 13-year-old middle school student for having gun inside backpack

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (CBS 58) – A 13-year-old Sheboygan middle school student was arrested Monday, October 1 for having a firearm inside his backpack at school.

Sheboygan police were called to Farnsworth Middle School around 9:30 a.m. after a teacher noticed a student smelled like marijuana.

An officer also smelled marijuana coming from the student and while searching his backpack they found an unloaded gun.

Officials interviewed the 13-year-old student, who stated he had no intentions of using the firearm at school or to harm anybody.

Further investigation determined the boy stole the firearm from a friend’s home.

The student was taken into custody. He was referred for charges of possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor, possession of a firearm in a school zone, possession of drug paraphernalia, and burglary.

“The safety of our students is a top priority for both the Sheboygan Area School District at the SPD. We encourage people to continue to have conversations with your children about the importance of reporting an unsafe or suspicious behavior and also about the potential consequences for participating in criminal behavior that creates fear in our schools,” Sheboygan police said in a news release.