Police: Students found with loaded guns

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Michael Williams takes his little girl for a walk outside Jeb Stuart Middle School almost every day. Knowing two loaded guns were found on campus Thursday makes him nervous.

"We stay right here, so if they pull out and start shooting, the house is right there," he said, pointing to his house just yards away from campus.

Police say Rodney Gibson and Warren Jones brought the guns to school.  Both are just 14 years old and have criminal records, police say.

Investigators say each boy had a loaded gun in his pocket. They say school officials were tipped off by other students. It's the fourth report of a gun on a public school campus in two weeks.

"We've had no evidence at all of any of these weapons being brought to school to hurt another child," said Dr. Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Duval County Public Schools.

Action News told you about the other incidents at Fletcher High School, Wolfson High School and Chaffee Trail Elementary.

Vitti said he doesn't believe more guns are being brought to schools - he thinks more are being found because students are more comfortable reporting them.

"I feel a bit refreshed with the fact that our students are coming forward," Vitti said.

Williams isn't so sure. He said maybe the district should step up security and install metal detectors.

"I think it's time," he said.

Action News asked Vitti about installing metal detectors. He said he's thought about  it, but his experience with them while working in New York City schools makes him think twice.

"Even with metal detectors we still had weapons getting into schools. So sometimes it leads to a false confidence," he said.

He said security has been stepped up over the past two years - there's more education about guns in elementary schools, more random searches in middle schools. He said there's a culture that's more accepting of students who tell teachers when there's a gun on campus.

He said it's not a problem the district can fight on its own.

"Many of these weapons are coming directly from the home. So where is the level of parent involvement and conversation to say, 'Don't bring a weapon to school,'" Vitti saidl.

That's where he and parents agree.

"The gun itself is not the problem. It is an issue that has to do with our society," said neighbor Thomas Wilson.