Two Gun Related Incidents At Moreno Valley Schools Within 24 Hours-One Rumored, One Real
Moreno Valley, Calif.; Two separate gun related incidents occurred at two different Moreno Valley high schools between late Thursday afternoon and Friday Morning. The incidents occurred at Valley View High School and Canyon Springs High School.
The first incident occurred at Valley View High School on Thursday afternoon. Valley View High School is located at 13135 Nason Street, in the city of Moreno Valley.
According to a message from the Moreno Valley Unified School District, Valley View High School principal Kristen Hunter made the following statement about that incident:
“Today, a student was overheard speaking about a weapon in one of his classes. The incident was brought to the attention of administrators and was investigated. The student now understands the seriousness of his words. The (School Resource Officer) was notified and the police found no cause for alarm. The parent of the student was also notified.”
Hunter went on to state, “I take all reports involving the safety of my students very seriously and expect a safe learning environment for all students tomorrow, (Friday). Once again, no threat was made, police were notified and found no cause for alarm.”
The following morning, with rumors swirling rampantly around social media regarding the incident from Valley View High School, a real gun scare occurred at Canyon Springs High School. The Canyon Springs campus is less than seven miles from the campus of Valley View and is located at 23100 Cougar Canyon Drive. Both schools are located within the Moreno Valley city limits.
In the second incident, which occurred on the Canyon Springs High School campus, deputies arrested a juvenile who was found to be in possession of a handgun while on the campus of the school.
A press release regarding the second incident from the Riverside County Sheriff Department stated that on Friday morning School Resource Officers from the Moreno Valley Police Station began to gather information regarding a student who was possibly armed with a gun while on the campus grounds.
As the investigation evolved, the student was identified, quickly located on campus and was immediately detained. During their investigation, School Resource Officers discovered a small-caliber handgun, which they recovered as evidence.
The unidentified 17-year-old student was taken into custody and removed from the campus without incident.
The two separate gun related incidents, occurring so close to each other and within such a short period of time, have left Moreno Valley area parents shocked and fearful about allowing their children to return back to school on Monday. On one social media sharing site after another, the main topic of conversation in Moreno Valley this weekend has been the safety of the children attending Moreno Valley area schools.
In a press release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department about the Canyon Springs High School incident, Sergeant Melvin Rasmussen wrote, “The Moreno Valley Police Department works closely with the Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) to assure the safety of all students.”
Despite the repeated reassurances from the school district and local law enforcement, there are many parents who have been left unswayed and fearful about their children returning to school on Monday morning.
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