Palm Bay student caught bringing loaded gun to school, officials say

Brevard County weapons detection prevents gun in school

A Palm Bay high school student was caught attempting to bring a loaded gun into school on Friday, but was stopped by the school's weapons detection system.

PALM BAY, Fla. - A Palm Bay high school student was caught attempting to bring a loaded gun into school on Friday, but was stopped by the school's weapons detection system. 

What we know:

A student at Palm Bay Magnet School attempted to bring a loaded gun into school on Nov. 21, but the school's OPENGATE weapons detection system prevented the gun from entering the school.

A Palm Bay high school student was caught attempting to bring a loaded gun into school on Friday, but was stopped by the school's weapons detection system.

The Melbourne Police Department said the security detection system sent an alert, preventing the student from making it past the security check point. Brevard County Schools confirmed the student didn't make it past security in the front office and the gun was immediately confiscated. 

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The student, a 17-year-old boy from Melbourne, was placed into police custody. The teen faces two charges: possession of a firearm on school grounds and possession of a firearm by a minor under 18 years old. 

His name was not released. 

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All students are safe, the school said. 

"We commend the vigilance and professionalism of our staff, whose swift response ensured the safety of everyone on campus," the school said in a statement. 

How does OPENGATE work? 

OPENGATE security detection is a portable detection system that can be placed at various entrance points. It can detect multi-caliber weapons and IEDs. 

The system has been placed in areas with crowds, including schools, athletic events, or theaters.

When did Brevard County Schools acquire OPENGATE? 

Brevard County Schools announced it installed OPENGATE in all of its 16 traditional high schools in March. 

"We are grateful for the investment in the OPENGATE Weapons Detection system which potentially saved lives today," a Brevard County Schools spokesperson said Friday.