From staff reports

pnj.com

A Washington High School student was arrested after allegedly taking a gun from a friend who was planning to commit suicide at school, then bringing it back to campus a few days later to return it to his friend.

On Tuesday, a female student told school officials that a classmate said Friday he was planning to kill himself during lunch, according to a Pensacola Police Department arrest report. The student allegedly then opened his backpack to show her the gun inside.

A third student, a 16-year-old male, took the gun away from the student, but did not tell the female student what he did with it, according to the report.

Officials then interviewed the 16-year-old, who allegedly admitted to taking the gun away from his friend Friday. He reportedly said he hadn't brought the gun to school Monday, but put it in his backpack Tuesday so that he could return it to his friend. A school resource officer retrieved the gun from the student's bag and found there was a loaded magazine in the gun's grip, but no rounds in the chamber.

Officials then interviewed the student who initially brought the gun to school. The student reportedly said he had no intention of harming anyone else and only planned to use the gun on himself. The student was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation.

The 16-year-old who confiscated the gun and brought it back to campus was arrested for one count of possession of a firearm on school property, a third-degree felony.

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