Student taken into custody after gun found at Moore High School

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Jefferson County Public Schools confirmed a gun was found on campus at Moore High School Wednesday morning.

Principal Traci Morris-Hunt confirmed the incident in a letter sent home to Moore families.

The letter reads:

Dear Marion C. Moore Families,

We always want to let you know what’s happening at Moore and with your child’s education.

This morning a bullet was found on the floor in one of our classrooms. We immediately followed our protocols, searched the classroom for a weapon, raised our security level, and called JCPS Police and LMPD. A gun was found and confiscated. We are keeping our security at a heightened level while police and a canine unit search the building for any other weapons.

One student has been taken into custody.

The safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority at Moore.

We will update you when we have more information.

JCPS issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon regarding guns found on campus and the security protocols used to keep students and staff safe.

That statement reads:

“The gun epidemic is a community problem that, like so many issues in our city, impacts Jefferson County Public Schools. JCPS has strong safety protocols in place to safely identify and remove guns that are brought into our schools. Our students, staff and families play a vital role in keeping our schools safe. The reality is, until lawmakers and community members work together to address the prevalence and access to guns, there will continue to be instances of guns in our grocery stores, churches, government offices - everywhere people congregate - including schools.”

Dozens of parents arrived at school between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to pick their children up early.

The sea of cars filled the school’s parking lot and spilled out onto Outer Loop.

Many parents were worried the situation was much worse than originally communicated.

“I’ve always told my boys, ‘If you’re scared, if you’re uncomfortable, I will come get you no matter what,’” Rebekah Gevedon said. “And he called me. He said, ‘Mom, I’m scared. I know I’m at school. I’m safe, but I want to come home.’ Alright, I’m on my way.”

”You know, if they didn’t know that the guy was in there with a gun, who knows if there’s someone outside with a gun,” Yolaanda said. “So, that’s kind of where I was at with that. I just wanted to get him out of here.”

Gevedon’s sons are seventh and eighth graders. She picked them up and brought them home, but not before they told WAVE News about their experience.

“Like, why would a kid do that,” Logan Gevedon said. “Why would a high schooler bring a gun to school? Like, was he afraid of something? Why would anybody bring [a gun] to school. Was he afraid? Like, was something going to happen on his way home?”

Other parents and students were concerned about the school’s security, and want more to be done to keep students safe.

“In bigger counties, in bigger places, like St. Louis for instance, they check the kids,” a mother who wanted to remain anonymous said. “If there’s this big of an issue they check them before they come in the school. Is it extreme? Yes. But, is it also necessary to protect the children? Also yes.”

This is the second gun found at Moore High School and the 18th gun found on a JCPS campus in the 2022-23 school year.

Last school year, 23 guns were found on a JCPS campus.

Copyright 2023 WAVE. All rights reserved.