Reaction to local student bringing gun to school
Local residents were shocked to hear that a young student at North Fort Myers Academy of the Arts brought a gun to school last week, to “impress friends,” according to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
“We were shocked to hear about the incident,” said local nurse Ronnie Smith. “It’s such a nice school.”
From the police report released Thursday, Jan. 27, the School Resource Officer at the Academy received information from school administrators that a student on school grounds was in possession of a firearm.
The deputy learned that school officials conducted a search of the student’s backpack and reportedly found an unloaded 45-caliber handgun, two loaded magazines and three 45-caliber bullets. The weapon and ammunition were turned over to law enforcement.
The investigation identified the student as Nicholas Alexander Gonzalez, who told officers that he had no intention of hurting anyone and had unloaded the gun himself prior to placing it in his backpack, according to the report.
Investigators determined that Gonzalez had only brought the gun to school to show off to his friends.
Deputies arrested Gonzalez and charged him with one count of possession of a weapon on school property, a third-degree felony. He was transported to the Lee County Jail.
“The incident was a very real and scary reminder of just how quickly something like this can take place,” said Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott. “It was unacceptable.”
With about 90,000 students in the county attending school every day, Scott said these incidents are practically impossible to contain.
“Unless we check every single lunch box or every single backpack, this can happen,” he said.
And unless the schools get like courthouses or airports with security systems that can spot guns and knives, it is a Catch 22, Scott said.
“There is absolutely nothing we can do to stop this,” he said.
Officers responded quickly.
“The officers were alert and efficient in getting that gun away from the school,” Scott said.
“Hopefully he will get the help he needs,” he added of Gonzalez.