MARYVILLE, Tenn. — A 13-year-old student at Heritage Middle School was taken into custody on charges of delinquency after bringing a firearm to school, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. The teen is facing charges of carrying a weapon onto school property and is currently being held at the Blount County Juvenile Detention Facility, pending a court hearing scheduled within 72 hours.
The incident unfolded when School Resource Officers (SROs) at Heritage Middle School received a tip that a student may have been in possession of a firearm in their backpack. Acting on the information, the officers located the student and discovered the weapon.
Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong praised the swift response of the SROs and the role of student-led reporting in resolving the situation. “The Sheriff’s Office takes reports of this nature seriously and responds promptly,” Berrong said. “Receiving this information is a direct result of the relationships our SROs have established with students in their schools. We are fortunate that the situation was resolved quickly.”
Authorities have not disclosed the type of firearm or the specific circumstances surrounding how the student obtained the weapon. However, the case has raised concerns about student safety and the need for continued vigilance on school campuses.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident, and the teen is expected to appear before a juvenile court judge in the coming days.
This event highlights the ongoing importance of school security and the critical role that School Resource Officers play in maintaining a safe environment for students and staff.
