NEW HOPE, Minn. — *The above video first aired Thursday, Nov. 17, 2023.
Two teens are charged after police found two loaded handguns inside their backpacks Thursday following a dispute at Cooper High School in New Hope.
Cooper Principal Shaunece Smith detailed the incident in a message to families and staff members, saying it began as a fight between three students. After staff members isolated those involved and brought them to the school office, New Hope police were called in to search the backpacks of two students.
Smith says in her message that officers located guns in two of the students' backpacks and immediately confiscated them. The principal shared that since the students had already been separated from the student body there was no reason to order a lockdown.
"Thankfully nobody was hurt. However, it doesn't diminish the anxiety this news brings to our students, their families and our staff," Smith wrote. "Please know our school takes every weapon-related incident seriously. We will follow the discipline guidelines outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook in regards to this incident."
According to court documents, one of the teens had a loaded Stoeger STR-9C semiautomatic handgun with an extended clip and a loaded round in the chamber. The other teen had a loaded Glock 29, according to the complaint.
Both teens are now charged with two felony counts, including possession of a dangerous weapon on school property.
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