WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Winter Haven High School student was arrested Friday after officials found a loaded gun inside his backpack, the police department said.
DeShawn Williams, 18, faces several charges including possession of a weapon on school grounds, possession of a stolen handgun and battery on a school employee, according to a Winter Haven Police Department news release.
Police say a teacher smelled marijuana when he came across Williams and sent an email to the school administration. The assistant principal reportedly responded and asked the student to allow his bag to be searched.
He declined and resisted, the police department said, with both him and the assistant principal falling to the floor.
A school resource officer responded and was able to control Williams, police said. As he was being held, school officials found a loaded handgun inside, according to the police department. No marijuana was said to be inside the backpack.
The gun was found to be somehow stolen from outside the city of Winter Haven, police said.
"I applaud this teacher for acting on a suspicion," Public Safety Director Charlie Bird said in a statement. "This could very well have prevented something much more serious from occurring, whether on campus or off."
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