Police: Varina High student brought gun to campus

A Varina High School student was arrested Thursday after school staff allegedly saw him with a handgun on school campus.

The teenage boy is charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a concealed weapon, and underage possession of a gun.

A school resource officer detained the boy and seized the handgun on Thursday afternoon, according to Henrico Police.

Police and school administration are investigating the incident.

There have been no credible threats toward any specific student or staff members, police said.

In a message to families on Thursday, Varina High School Principal Darin Thompson urged families to talk with their students about personal and community safety as well as the criminal and disciplinary consequences of bringing weapons to school.

“We cannot and must not become desensitized to situations such as this, and we must be willing to speak up when we see or hear something that raises a concern,” Thompson wrote. “While there was no expressed threat to harm, the mere presence of a weapon at school is against the law and, therefore, is a potential danger to our school community.”

The arrest comes as county leaders are beginning to work on a task force to address the increase in youth violence in the community.

There was a 55% increase in juvenile shooting victims in 2021 compared to the year prior in Henrico, according to county data, with 81 firearm discharge offenses involving juveniles in the year.

The committee includes leaders such as County Manager John Vithoulkas, Superintendent Amy Cashwell, Police Chief Eric English and Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor.