Palatka, Florida — A reported firearm on a Palatka high school campus prompted a lockdown and the arrest of four students Monday, disrupting classes and drawing a law enforcement response.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, a student at Palatka Junior-Senior High School alerted school administrators after hearing other students discuss having a gun on campus. The school was placed on lockdown while deputies investigated.
Sheriff’s officials said the investigation determined that four students—Labron Keenon, 16; Anthony Francis, 16; Zamarion Henderson, 17; and Somarion Coley, 15—had allegedly communicated by text about a firearm being broken and discussed fixing it together. Authorities allege the gun was passed among the four students during the school day, with each reportedly in possession of it at different times.
During the lockdown, deputies removed the students from class and located the firearm. Officials confirmed only one gun was involved. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges could be pending.
All four juveniles were charged with possession of a firearm on a school campus, a third-degree felony, and disruption of school function, a misdemeanor, according to the sheriff’s office. Henderson was additionally charged with introducing contraband into a jail facility after a THC vape was allegedly found in his pocket, as well as possession of marijuana.
The students were booked into the Putnam County Jail and later transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Volusia County.
In a statement, Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach criticized the incident, noting the community is still recovering from a previous accidental shooting involving students. He emphasized the potential consequences of bringing a firearm onto a school campus.
The lockdown temporarily halted classes, impacting students and staff during the school day, particularly commuters and families relying on regular dismissal schedules.
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