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Dec 14, 2023

Gun found in student's backpack at high school in Fort Smith

by: Spencer Bailey Posted: Aug 16, 2023 / 04:37 PM CDT Updated: Aug 17, 2023 / 06:27 PM CDT FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Fort Smith School District announced today that a firearm was found in a

by: Spencer Bailey

Posted: Aug 16, 2023 / 04:37 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 17, 2023 / 06:27 PM CDT

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Fort Smith School District announced today that a firearm was found in a student’s backpack.

A release from the district says that Northside High School administrators and Fort Smith Public Schools Police Department officers responded to a report of a student vaping.

Officers searched the student and found a stolen firearm in their backpack.

The firearm was confiscated, and the student was arrested.

Fort Smith Police Chief Bill Hollenbeck says the student if facing two felonies, possession of a firearm on school property and theft by receiving.

“I think that we need to look at this quite frankly as a win because of a great working relationship with our administrative staff at Northside and all the schools, but specifically with our officers working beside these schools. They were able to work together to make sure that the rest of the students and staff at Northside were safe,” Hollenbeck said.

The district says that no students or staff were harmed in the incident. Hollenbeck says there was no indication targeted violence was intended.

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