Students Detained at Hellgate For Bringing ‘Pellet Gun’ to School
Two Hellgate high school students were confronted by a School Resource Officer and members of the administration this week after a warning from a member of the community.
"On Wednesday afternoon, there were two students who attend Hellgate high school who had a pellet gun, which is a gun that does not distribute bullets and usually is pressurized with air, however, our board policy and all of our procedures are really clear to say that any weapon, even fake weapons, are not allowed on school property," said MCPS Communications Director Hatton Littman.
The two students were detained and police have been involved. So far, there is no evidence that the pellet gun was part of something more malicious.
"Everything that has been compiled, to this point on Thursday morning, indicates that there was no intention to use the fake weapon to intimidate staff or students at the school," Littman said. "I think this was a regrettable decision by some adolescents who attend high school."
The students were stopped on the sidewalk outside of the school and Littman says the incident is a good reminder of the no-weapon policy at Missoula County Public Schools that exists not just inside the school buildings proper, but also to the parking lots, sidewalks, and athletic facilities that are managed by the schools