CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A student was arrested for having a gun on school property in Chillicothe.
According to reports, officers with the Chillicothe Police Department responded to the Mount Logan Youth Learning Center at 841 East Main Street on Thursday after receiving a call regarding a student with a gun.
The center offers the YouthBuild of Southeastern Ohio program. According to the Chillicothe City Schools, “the program serves young adults ages 16 through 25 that are pursuing a high school diploma or GED through an alternative pathway.”
Officers arrived on the scene and spoke with the director of the Youth Build Program. Officers, along with the program director, confronted the student, who initially denied the allegations.
Reports say police then searched the student and his bookbag. It was then that officers found a loaded 9mm Beretta pistol.
The 17-year-old teen told officers the gun was for his protection and that he had found it in a house fire.
The student was arrested at the scene, and charged with possession of a firearm in a school zone.
Chillicothe Superintendent Debbie Swinehart told district families that the Youth Build Program at Mt. Logan will be suspended pending further investigation.
“We will continue to work closely with the Chillicothe Police Department on this matter and will be assessing the safety processes within our buildings. Student and staff safety is and will remain the top priority throughout our district,” said Swinehart.