Teen facing five misdemeanors for gun incident

A Kalispell runaway is facing five misdemeanor charges after allegedly getting caught with alcohol, drug paraphernalia and a partially loaded gun at Flathead High School on Friday.

According to School Resource Officer Cory Clarke, the 16-year-old boy is facing misdemeanor counts of minor in possession of alcohol, possession of drug paraphernalia, unauthorized carry of a concealed weapon, unauthorized carry of a concealed weapon on school grounds, and theft. He is being held at the Missoula Juvenile Detention Facility on $35,000 bond.

“In my experience, that is pretty high [bond] for a juvenile situation,” Clarke said.

Clarke said that a school employee confronted the student Friday about taking two separate lunch breaks and noticed the boy smelled of alcohol. The employee questioned the teen, who allegedly admitted that he had been drinking.

The boy was taken to administrators and his backpack was searched.

In addition to a bottle of alcohol, a revolver was found in the backpack. School officials then called Clarke.

“The hammer was down on an empty chamber,” Clarke said. “The rest of the chambers had bullets in them.”

Further searching allegedly found that the boy had drug paraphernalia related to marijuana use.

During an interview, the boy said he had stolen the gun from a family member so that he could sell it and get to another state, Clarke said. The teen had been reported as a runaway two days before the incident.

“In this climate, you can’t take any of this and not be serious about it,” Clarke said. “The most important part of my investigation was to determine his motives. I’m really comfortable with the fact that he didn’t have any intention to use the gun on anyone here.”

School officials and Clarke also asked the teen if he had been drinking with anyone.

“It’s very rare that they drink alone,” Clarke said.

The teen identified another 14-year-old boy who was searched and allegedly found in possession of drugs. That boy is now facing a felony count of possession of dangerous drugs, Clarke said. That teen has been bailed out of jail, though both of the boys are suspended from school.

It is now up to prosecutors to determine what will happen to the teens.

The issues could be handled through Youth Court with a judge presiding over proceedings or before a jury, Clarke said.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.