Student charged after bringing loaded gun to Tates Creek High School

A student brought a loaded gun to Tates Creek High School on Wednesday morning, the principal told parents in an email.

Lamaar Dequan Sanford has been charged with possession of a weapon on school property, possession of a concealed deadly weapon and resisting arrest, according to the Fayette County jail website. Since the student turned 18 on Oct. 12, he has been charged as an adult.

The student, who school officials have not identified, will also face serious administrative consequences through the school district, Principal Sam Meaux said.

“During the investigation the student stated that he had the weapon for protection outside of school, and not because of anything related to school,” Meaux said.

“During first period this morning, one of our staff members noticed that we had a student who appeared to be agitated,” Meaux said.”We notified our Fayette County Public Schools Department of Law Enforcement officers who are on campus every day and one of our officers approached the student and noticed the handle of a gun.

“The officer confiscated the weapon and placed the student under arrest. We can now confirm that the gun was loaded,” Meaux said.

“As you know, students are our top priority at Tates Creek High School and we work diligently to keep them safe and create a positive learning environment on campus. Maintaining open lines of communication between home and school is critical in order for us to earn the trust of our families and build strong relationships with the people we serve,” Meaux said in an email sent Wednesday morning.

Meaux said everything was under control and students were safe.

School officials made no comment beyond the email.

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Student charged after bringing loaded gun to Tates Creek High School."