Arrests.
There will be an increased presence at the high school on Wednesday. Only North Penn High School families and staff were notified of the incident
A North Penn High School student was arrested Tuesday after a weapon was found in their possession.
According to an email from Principal Kyle Hassler to only North Penn High School families and staff, high school administration was notified by Towamencin Police that a student may be in possession of a weapon on Tuesday.
Towamencin Township Police Chief Timothy Troxel confirmed Tuesday night that the suspect is a juvenile at the high school and criminal charges have been approved by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
"The student is currently detained at the county juvenile detention center," Troxel said. "There was no harm to any students or staff, and with the juvenile in custody, we do not feel there is any threat or danger to the school."
The police obtained the information while investigating an incident that occurred outside the school, Hassler wrote.
The student was immediately located, a weapon was recovered, and the student is in custody, according to the email.
There will be an increased presence at the high school on Wednesday, as an abundance of caution, Troxel said.
Furthermore, the school will use its Evolv Weapons Detection System on Wednesday, which uses artificial intelligence and sensors to detect potential weapons on individuals as they enter the building, according to the email.
It is unclear if the detection system was in use on Tuesday.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority,” Hassler wrote in the email. “We are deeply concerned by this incident and are cooperating fully with police as they conduct their investigation.”
Hassler said appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with school code and law.
According to an email by Superintendent Dr. Todd Bauer sent to a parent, which was provided to North Penn Now, the district policy regarding “serious incidents” at the school, states that incidents which are specific to a particular class or bus, that incident is communicated with parents of that bus or classroom only. Otherwise, the incident is communicated to the entire school.
In the email, Bauer stated that was the case in Tuesday’s incident. Thus, the district did not communicate the incident to the entire district, since it occurred at one building.
The high school’s planetarium was scheduled to host elementary students on Tuesday, and other students from the middle schools are bussed daily to the high school for activities.
North Penn School District was contacted for comment, but no responses were received by publication.
The district and police did not release the name, age or grade of the student taken into custody. It did not state the type of weapon found.
Troxel said it is still an ongoing, active investigation.
