Student arrested after school metal detector alerts deputies to weapon

VERO BEACH, Fla. — A student at Vero Beach High School was arrested Thursday morning after trying to go through a metal detector with a weapon in a backpack, authorities said.

In a news release, Cristen Maddux, the public information officer for the School District of Indian River County, said an OPENGATE metal detector at the entrance to the school, located in the 1700 block of 16th Street in Vero Beach, went off and alerted school resource deputies.

When deputies searched the student's bag, they found a weapon inside. It's unclear what type of weapon it was.

"The student with the weapon has been arrested and will not return to Vero Beach High School," Maddux said in a news release.

Maddux added that "our school district has a zero-tolerance policy regarding weapons of any kind, whether real or toy, on our campuses. Anyone in violation of this policy will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted accordingly."

The School District of Indian River County uses OPENGATE metal detectors at its two high school campuses.