Three Students Charged After Weapons Found at William Penn High School

New Castle -- Three students were charged Wednesday after school administrators found the students in possession of weapons.

On Wednesday, June 4, school administrators removed two students from their classrooms after learning an Instagram photo depictured the pair posing with a handgun in one of the school's bathrooms.

School staff searched the book bags of both students. In one bag, belonging to a 16-year-old male from Newark, staff found an unloaded realistic-looking gas-powered pellet gun. In the bag of a 15-year-old New Castle male staff found an unloaded 9mm handgun. Further investigation revealed a third student, another 15-year-old male from New Castle, had originally brought the 9mm handgun to school. That student was removed from class and school staff found two magazines in his book bag. One magazine was empty, the other contained six 9mm rounds.

All three students were turned over to the Delaware State Police school resource officer assigned to the school, and were transported to Troop 2. All three students were charged with possession of a weapon in a safe school zone, conspiracy second degree, and related charges, and committed to the New Castle County Detention Center on secured bail.