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Raytown High School administrators find gun at school

Posted at 4:13 PM, Nov 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-06 17:13:47-05

RAYTOWN, Mo. — Police officers were called to Raytown High School Monday afternoon after school administrators found a gun.  

Around 1 p.m., Raytown officers were sent to the school. They met school administrators in an office where they had secured the gun and student. 

Raytown police said the gun was taken as evidence, and the student was released to their parents. 

The case will be presented to Jackson County Family Court for any charges, according to the Raytown Police Department. 

The Raytown School District contacted parents by telephone and email Monday afternoon. The district will send a letter home Tuesday. A school district spokesperson said because the incident happened late in the day they weren't able to send the letter home on Monday. 

The letter, which has the same text as the email, reads: 

Dear Raytown High School Parent or Guardian,

The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our first and most important priority. This letter is to inform you about a recent event at Raytown High School. 

Around 1:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon, we received a report of a weapon on campus. With the help of on-campus security, we conducted a search of a student’s backpack that yielded an unloaded weapon. We then called Raytown Police to campus to secure the weapon and file a police report.  No known threats were associated with the weapon and everyone was safe.  

The district will follow provisions of Board of Education Policy in responding to the incident. We have started a school investigation in accordance with provisions of both Board Policy and also the Missouri Safe Schools Act regarding assignment of student discipline and in reporting to and cooperating with local law enforcement authorities. 

At Raytown High, we encourage an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything that might be suspicious or out of the ordinary; prompt reporting is important in enabling us to be proactive in maintaining a safe school environment. We ask that you partner with us by doing the following:

•    Reminding your student that weapons of any kind are unacceptable at school.
•    Encouraging your student to report any information to school staff members at any time that will help us keep an orderly and safe school.
•    Partnering with us to share the facts of this incident to minimize rumors that could disrupt the learning environment of our school.

Please know that we will continue to be vigilant in providing a safe environment for our students and staff. 

Sincerely,
Dr. Chad Bruton, Principal