By Jeff Ballinger. Bay City News.
Palo Alto police cited a 15-year-old Palo Alto High School student suspected of bringing a pellet gun to campus in December, local police said Monday.
Officers responded to a call at 11:28 a.m. Friday from school administrators who said they had been alerted by students that the girl had posted images on social media of her holding a firearm.
The students also claimed that the young woman had brought the gun onto campus months ago and let another student hold it while she was in the school bathroom.
An investigation found an image dated December 2022 of the girl holding a pistol, which police said they believe may have been a BB gun that fires plastic pellets.
Authorities cited the student on suspicion of possession of a weapon on a school campus and released her to her family.
Police searched the student's home and did not locate the weapon currently believed to be out of state in the custody of the relative who possessed it, according to police.
Palo Alto police commended the students who reported what they had seen online, as well as others who were cooperative and assisted with the investigation.
Police urge anyone with information about the case to call their 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text or voicemail to (650) 383-8984.
You may be interested in: Nashville school shooting leaves three children, three adults dead