Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong released the following information this evening about an incident in front of Carson High School this afternoon in which a 16-year-old student had a gun and was threatening to shoot himself as school prepared to let out. The release is as follows:
On November 13, Thursday, at approximately 2:12 p.m., the Sheriff’s 911 Dispatch was informed of a student threatening to harm himself with a handgun across the street from Carson High School. Within minutes, responding officers arrived in the area and located a 16 year old juvenile who had made statements to others that he was going to shoot himself. The student was taken into custody without incident and transported to the hospital for services.
Investigators at the scene have determined that the incident took place in front of the juvenile’s residence, across the street from Carson High School, shortly after school had ended for the day. Many of the students departing the school were still in the area. There were no reported injuries to any students, though one person is suspected of being threatened with the juvenile with the weapon.
While the incident remains under investigation, preliminary information has disclosed that at least two verbal incidents had taken place over the last week between the juvenile and a juvenile female. That incident gave rise to a confrontation with an 18 year old outside the school property today. The 18 year old was able to convince the juvenile to release the weapon, just as officers were arriving in the area.
The weapon used by the juvenile was one owned by his mother and was the only weapon in the household; it has been secured by the Sheriff’s Office pending the outcome of the investigation. Sheriff’s Deputies certified at “crisis intervention” are continuing to work closely with family members. It is most important to emphasize that weapons in the home should never be left outside of a secure storage container. This is particularly important when children are residing in the home or have occasion to be alone in the environment.
