As reported by WHNT News, a student at Tanner High School, part of the Limestone County School system, was arrested yesterday after the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office conducted a K-9 search, which found a handgun in the student’s possession.
According to school officials, the K-9 officer alerted police to the presence of a parked car on campus. After identifying the vehicle, the student was removed from class and brought to his vehicle for questioning.
While there, police searched the student’s bag and found a .38 revolver and ammunition inside of a backpack in the car. (Yes, we know the pistol in the stock photo above is not a revolver). The student was immediately taken into custody and has been charged with a prohibited person in possession of a firearm without a serial number.
The case has been handed over to the Juvenile Probation Office, due to the age of the student, who is presumably a minor.
Having a gun in a locked car is obviously different than bringing it into the school, but it is nevertheless unlawful for students to bring guns onto school property in Alabama, as it is in most every other state.
This law regarding guns in cars is confusing to some because Alabama state law allows those with a concealed carry permits to have a loaded gun in their vehicle. State law also allows those who do not have a permit to keep a gun in their vehicle, provided it is unloaded and locked in a container, out of the driver’s reach.
But there are more restrictions when it comes to students.
First, federal law limits where guns can be carried on school property at K-12 schools, and by whom. The Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) prohibits anybody from having a gun “In, or on the grounds of a public, parochial, or private school that provides elementary or secondary education; or within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of a public, parochial, or private school that provides elementary or secondary education.”
Nevertheless, the GFSZA does not prohibit guns from being stored inside a locked vehicle on school property, and its restrictions do not apply to those who are licensed by a state or locality to possess a gun.
A second federal law, however—the Gun-Free Schools Act (GFSA)—is more specific to student behavior than to restricting where guns can be carried. GFSA basically says that any state that receives certain federal funds for education must expel students for a minimum of one year if they bring a firearm onto school property and that they must refer any such student to the criminal justice system. This includes students 18 and older who have a valid permit.
These restrictions do not apply to college campuses in Alabama, which are governed by different laws.
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Disclaimer: While we deem the preceding information to be accurate to the best of our ability, we are not attorneys and this article, nor any related articles on this site, should never be interpreted as legal advice or as guidelines you should follow for compliance with federal gun laws or Alabama state gun laws.
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