UPDATED: McKay student, 17, facing criminal charges after bringing gun to school
Update, Thursday, Oct. 10, 12:45 p.m.
The 17-year-old McKay student arrested after bringing a handgun to school is facing charges of theft, unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon in Marion County Juvenile Court, Juvenile Director Troy Gregg said.
State law requires that students who bring a gun to school be expelled for at least one year unless the superintendent makes an exception on a case-by-case basis.
Original story below:
A McKay High School student is in juvenile department custody after bringing a gun to school Monday morning.
School employees found the gun during a routine search of the student’s bag as he entered school for the day, according to Aaron Harada, Salem-Keizer School District spokesman.
Harada said he did not have any information about the type of gun found.
The school was not locked down because the gun was confiscated immediately, McKay Principal Ranae Quiring said in a message sent to McKay families.
“At no time were any threats of harm made by the student against our school, students or staff; however, I understand this is concerning news to hear,” Quiring wrote.
The 17-year-old boy is in custody of the Marion County Juvenile Department and has not been charged with a crime, said Troy Gregg, juvenile department director. He said the teen will appear in court Wednesday.
McKay does not use weapon detectors, which are currently being piloted at South Salem High School. Harada said the school requires some students to have bags searched before entering school, but said he did not have information about when or why such searches are required.
The incident is the third serious school safety threat in recent weeks, and the second where students have been arrested with firearms.
On Friday, McKay was locked down after students reported a classmate was possibly armed and making threats. Police responded and found no weapon, but arrested the student. That student is now facing a disorderly conduct charge in juvenile court, Gregg said.
The week before, West Salem High School was locked down after police received a report of a student outside with a gun. Two boys, 14 and 15, are facing charges in connection with that incident.
Quiring urged families to review their children’s access to firearms and look at resources on how to safely secure firearms online from BeSmart.
Salem Health will also be hosting a free class Thursday, Oct. 17, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. about safe firearm storage and keeping guns away from kids. Registration and more information is available online.
Ardeshir Tabrizian contributed reporting.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
