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East High School students arrested on drugs and weapons charges

By Jason Miles - bio | email

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - Four East High School students were arrested Tuesday after police said they brought drugs and a gun onto campus.

All four students are now facing charges at Juvenile Court.  Two of the students face charges for marijuana possession, and two for having a handgun on campus.

Metal detectors reportedly did not detect the gun.

Officers spotted two students throw a handgun on the ground while they questioned two other students about drug use.

At least two of the four students arrested are 16 years-old.

Reginald Townsend said students have found ways around security measures.

"People put it in their shoes, tuck it into their pants," Townsend said.  "They really know how to hide the things."

According to the district, students at East High School are only subjected to random checks on days when metal detectors are in use.

Rev. Kenneth Whalum, Jr., Memphis City Schools Commissioner, said this incident proves every student should be checked using a metal detector.

"I've called for using metal detectors everyday at every high school without exception," Whalum said.

He went on to say that something like this could have been avoided.

"It seems to me, if we were using them as they should have been used today, and a weapon was brought in, it would have been detected," Whalum said.

However, Whalum said he believes a determined child could find a way to get weapons inside a school.

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