PALM BEACH GARDENS — A student at Palm Beach Gardens High School was removed from campus and taken into custody Thursday after a loaded gun was confiscated, the Palm Beach County School District said.
The incident marked the third time since the beginning of the academic year in September that a loaded weapon has been brought to Palm Beach Gardens’ campus, school district records show. The previous incidents occurred on Oct. 26 and Feb. 6, each resulting in a student being arrested.
The school district did not disclose the name of the student involved in Thursday’s incident. The student faces criminal charges and disciplinary action under the district’s student code of conduct, Palm Beach Gardens Principal Jay Blavatt said in a message to parents and school staff.
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The gun found was discovered during a search of an unrelated incident reported by a staff member. The weapon was not used in a threatening manner, Blavatt said.
“Disciplinary action will be taken against any student who commits a violation of the District’s Zero Tolerance Policy,” he wrote in his message. “Florida statute explicitly prohibits firearms on School property.”
In total, there have been five incidents involving a loaded weapon being confiscated at a public school campus since September, three shy of the total recorded during the 2021-2022 academic calendar year. One incident resulted in the arrest of a Royal Palm Beach High School teacher in January.
Teacher Robert Krasnicki was taken into custody Jan. 19 after school district police alleged that he brought a handgun and a knife to the school’s campus. Krasnicki was administratively reassigned following a court order that he have no student or school campus contact.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him atjwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at@JuliusWhigham. Help support our work:Subscribe today.