Firestone High School student caught with loaded handgun before game with Buchtel

An alert administrator at Akron's Firestone Community Learning Center discovered a student carrying a loaded handgun in advance of a basketball game at the school Friday night, police said.

The incident marked the second time a student was found with a loaded gun this week at an Akron Public School amid an ongoing contract dispute with teachers largely over school safety.

Friday's incident began with a 17-year-old male senior asking the administrator to get an item from his school locker, police said. The administrator escorted the student to the locker.

"When the teen removed his coat from the locker, the administrator saw the teen carrying the coat in a manner that aroused her suspicions," a police release said.  "(She) then requested the coat and immediately noticed a handgun inside the coat pocket.  The gun was safely secured and turned over to police when they arrived."

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When officers arrived at 5:30 p.m., the 17-year-old was already detained inside the principal’s office. Police learned the student planned to attend the basketball game against Buchtel High School at 7 p.m.

The teen was arrested without incident and later transported to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.  He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and illegal conveyance, police said.

"The incident did not cause any disturbance to any of the small number of spectators who had begun to arrive ahead of the scheduled sporting event," the release said.

"We thank the alert administrator whose training led her to follow her instincts and take control of the situation until police arrived," said Mark Williamson, communications director for Akron Public Schools.

A 7th-grader at nearby Litchfield Middle School was found with a gun Monday after other students alerted administrators.

Guns in schools:APS to expand use of metal detectors after Litchfield CLC student found with loaded gun

Akron Public Schools plan new metal detectors

Akron Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack will ask the school board Monday to approve funding for new metal detectors.

In a letter emailed to parents Monday night, Fowler Mack said she is directing principals to "modify the current practice of random use of metal detectors and backpack checks to the routine use in middle grades and high schools."

The district's goal is to use metal detectors to screen all students and visitors on a daily basis, a spokesman said Tuesday.

School safety has been a key issue in ongoing contract negotiations with Akron teachers, with the teachers union repeatedly saying schools are "not safe." Two weeks ago, a student stabbed another student, there was a serious fight and a bomb threat at three separate schools.

Earlier this month, Akron Education Association President Pat Shipe said the teacher union believes "many Akron Public Schools buildings continue to be places of fear, chaos and mismanagement by Superintendent Fowler Mack and her administration due to the desire to protect the superintendent's image over and above the desire to protect the children and staff of APS."