Jenkins Middle School in Palatka, Fla. was placed under a modified lockdown Tuesday afternoon after multiple weapons, including two handguns, were found with a 13-year-old student on campus.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office was called to the school after receiving an anonymous tip. Within minutes, Sheriff Gator DeLoach said the student was apprehended. DeLoach released the name of the student, however, First Coast News is choosing not to name him due to his age.
A thorough search of the teen's backpack yielded two 9mm calibers, one of which was loaded, according to DeLoach. About three knives were found on his person and in his pockets. Some were in his backpack as well, DeLoach said.
"Second time this year that we recovered weapons on campus -- two more weapons recovered off a student," he said. "That to me is alarming. We have to be proactive about protecting our students and school administrators."
Deputies are still interviewing the suspect to figure out his intent.
"If [students] bring a weapon on campus, their intent is very clear -- to harm other students," he said. "We can't continue to accept this as the norm. We don't know the origin of the weapons. Initial information suggests to us that it may have been in the possession of the student's parents ... we hope to get more information about that after."
DeLoach warned parents to be more involved in their children's lives.
"Parents, we are not their friends," he said. "We need to know what they're doing, where they're at, certainly what they have in their possession."
The teen is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm on a school campus, but DeLoach said more charges could be pending.