NEWNAN, Ga. — A 17-year-old student from East Coweta High School was arrested Friday evening after authorities discovered he was carrying a handgun during a football game between Northgate High School and Newnan High School.
School administrators alerted the Coweta County Sheriff's deputies working security at the game that students reported another teen had a gun. The boy tried to run off when the administration approached him around 9:30 p.m.
Deputies quickly took the student into custody and found a concealed handgun in his waistband. He was arrested and transported to the Coweta County Jail.
The administration said the teen was arrested in the stadium's home-side stands. The district added that Northgate administrators and school resource officers provided security throughout the game.
Authorities have not released additional details about the charges the student may face but confirmed that legal consequences will follow.
The incident comes nearly ten days after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, where four people were killed: two students and two teachers. The shooter, also a student, was quickly taken into custody by local authorities. That incident sparked increased conversations across the state about school safety measures and the growing concern about weapons being brought onto school campuses.
Northgate High School Principal Dr. Ashley Wilkes praised the school’s security team and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office for their quick action.
“Our goal is always to be proactive when the safety of students is concerned and to be transparent with our parents and stakeholders if an incident occurs,” Wilkes said in a statement to parents.
The Coweta County School System and countless other districts in the state have been dealing with several recent incidents where students made threatening comments or gestures. In a separate letter, Superintendent Evan Horton urged parents to talk to their children about the potential consequences of making threats or engaging in disruptive behavior.