13-year-old arrested after bringing gun to Baltimore County middle school
A 13-year-old was arrested and charged with bringing an unloaded gun to a Baltimore County middle school, the principal said Wednesday.
According to Franklin Middle School Principal Brian Schiffer, a School Resource Officer got a report that the student had marijuana.
An unloaded handgun was found as the student was being searched, and the student was arrested, Schiffer said.
The student was charged with firearm-related offenses, according to Baltimore County police.
The incident took place on the second day back to school.
Juvenile crime in Maryland
The Baltimore area has seen a rise in juvenile crime over the past two years. Between 2023 and 2024, juvenile crime arrests increased by 146% in Baltimore, according to State's Attorney Ivan Bates.
Last week, two minors, a 12 and a 13-year-old, were arrested and charged for setting fire to a school playground in the city.
In mid-August, a 13-year-old was arrested for a series of carjackings in Baltimore. Police later learned the boy had 18 prior felony arrests and was on an ankle monitor.
"They go to court and nothing happens to them," said Jerome, a neighbor who declined to share his last name. "They spend a little time and come back out here and do the same thing over and over."
According to data from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), the number of minors involved in the state's juvenile justice system has declined by 39% over the past 10 years.
Data also shows that reports of juvenile crime rose by nearly 14.5% between 2023 and 2024.