By Denise Dunbar

The Minnie Howard campus of Alexandria City High School was placed in “secure the building” mode at 9:15 a.m. today after a teacher reported that a student had possession of a handgun, according to a memo that ACHS Principal Peter Balas sent to parents at 10:41 a.m. The gun, which Balas’ memo said was not loaded, was taken from the student.

Balas also stated that the ACPS safety and security team worked with the Alexandria Police Department to conduct an investigation with the student involved. Balas said the “secure the building” status was removed at 10:29 a.m., but he did not indicate whether the student had been arrested.

However an Alexandria Police Department dispatch at 10:30.15 a.m. stated that a male juvenile was transported from 3801 W. Braddock Road, the address of the Minnie Howard Campus of ACHS, to the Juvenile Detention Center, according to openmhz. It’s not clear whether this was the student with the gun, or whether this juvenile was being detained for a different infraction.

The Minnie Howard Campus, which houses 9th graders, has experienced numerous disciplinary issues during this school year, ranging from students leaving campus without permission to a large brawl in the lunchroom in early December in which an administrator was knocked to the ground by fighting students.

-ddunbar@alextimes.com