Photo by James G. Howes, 2010.At 12:12 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, the St. Petersburg Police Department received a call about gunshots at St. Petersburg High School, according to a SPPD release.
Students and staff quickly evacuated the building, but the alarm was short-lived.
Roughly 30 seconds after the dispatch call, the school’s resource officer confirmed that the suspected gunshots were in fact fireworks, which a student had set off in one of the school’s stairwells.
Immediate investigation identified a 17-year-old male student as the suspect. He now faces one misdemeanor charge of
Disruption of a School Function, according to police, as well as discipline by the school.
“SPPD takes any potential threat to our schools seriously,” the department noted in the release on Thursday, “and would like to remind everyone of the seriousness of engaging in activity that would cause mass hysteria or harm to students. If you see something, please say something.”
Residents with information to report to the SPPD can call 727-893-7780 or send an anonymous message by texting the letters “SPPD” and your tip to TIP411.
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