3 Hempfield students allegedly exchanged guns at high school

Three 15-year-old boys are under investigation after they allegedly exchanged guns at school.

In a news conference Monday, State police said at about 11:40 a.m., troopers in Westmoreland County were called to Hempfield Area High School for a report of a student with a gun.

Police said several students reported seeing exchanges between students earlier in the school day involving firearms.

As police responded, the school was locked down for a “considerable period of time,” and students were dismissed about 15 minutes after their normal dismissal time.

Two handguns were recovered by police. The guns were allegedly in possession of two students and were found by school resource officers in the students’ backpacks.

“They did an exemplary job immediately identifying and tracking down the two students who were observed to be in possession of a firearm,” said Trooper Cliff Greenfield with State police.

In addition to State police, agencies outside of Westmoreland County responded, as well as K-9 teams.

In the news conference, State police said both guns were brought by one student and given to another student while on the school bus. When classes started, police said the first student then met a third student in a bathroom and exchanged the other handgun.

State police said both gun exchanges were witnessed by other students. Both of the handguns were loaded, and numerous rounds of ammunition were recovered by police.

There was no indication the students were planning any form of attack, police said.

Police added that the students were previously in contact and chose the school as the location where they would exchange the firearms.

School will continue as normal on Tuesday, with extra security measures, including an added presence from State police, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said during the news conference.

Ms. Worlicki added that metal-detecting devices will be used on Tuesday. She said the school was under renovation and currently had no permanent metal detectors. Currently, wands are used as students enter the school when there is “suspicion or a reason to assess,” Ms. Worlicki said.

State police said charges will be filed against the three boys.

How the student obtained two handguns or why they were being exchanged is currently unclear, police said.

“We will be looking everywhere we can, turning over every stone so to speak, to find out exactly how that 15-year-old student came into possession of these loaded firearms,” Trooper Greenfield said.