PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — An Orange High School student is facing criminal charges after allegedly being found in possession of a firearm and ammunition Tuesday on campus.
District Superintendent Dr. Lynn Campbell first sent a letter to families confirming the situation, saying a single bullet was initially found in the cafeteria. As a result, the building was placed on "modified lockdown," with classes continuing but students and staff not permitted to be in the halls while classroom doors were locked.
Pepper Pike Police Chief Karl Dietz said his entire force of seven officers responded to the school, where the student who owned the unspent shell cooperated with police. The teen has since been identified as 18-year-old Nolan Rosen.
Rosen led officers to his car in the school parking lot, where officers confiscated a single-shot bolt-action .22 caliber rifle along with unspent ammunition. School administrators say they took "appropriate disciplinary action" before authorities arrested Rosen.
Dietz told 3News Rosen would face a felony charge of illegal possession of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone as well as a a misdemeanor count of inducing panic, and officials from Pepper Pike confirmed the teen appeared in Shaker Heights Municipal Court Wednesday morning. He has since been released on bond.
After interviewing Rosen and his family, officers say they are confident the student meant to do no harm. Dietz would not discuss Rosen's motive, however.
"Some people's belief might be that if [a gun] is not inside the building, it's OK, and people think, 'Maybe I could keep this in the parking lot, and then if something bad happens and I need to get to it, at least something is close by,'" the chief said. "But you and I know that that is not the case."
Classes at Orange resumed as normal today.
"Please remember if you see something, say something," Campbell added. "Please join us in encouraging students, and anyone else, who may have information about a possible safety threat to any of our schools to report the concern. The Safe School Helpline is available to anonymously report concerns (call 1-800-4-1-VOICE, ext. 359 or text 'TIPS' to 66746)."