OHIO — News 5 reached out to a local security expert to explain why we’re seeing more incidents where students are bringing weapons into schools.
National Law Enforcement Procedures and Security Expert Tim Dimoff told News 5 he believes there are several reasons why this is happening and offers some suggestions for schools to combat it.
“When you're talking about the younger age gangs, they're becoming more intense, more recruiting, more defensive and they feel the need to protect themselves and guns and firearms are the tool of choice,” said National Law Enforcement Procedures and Security Expert Tim Dimoff.
Aside from this, Dimoff said he’s noticed there are some students who aren’t connected to a gang who feel threatened and bring weapons to protect themselves.
“We’re seeing escalation in both of those areas,” Dimoff said.
Earlier this week, Maple Heights Police Department told News 5 the high school was placed under an emergency lockdown on Tuesday after an alleged altercation between two students involving a box cutter.
RELATED: 1 injured in altercation involving box cutter at Maple Heights High School, police say
Police said one student was injured and is expected to be okay.
Meanwhile, police said the student with the box cutter is being held on felonious assault charges at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center.
Then, at Cleveland Heights High School, district officials canceled classes on Friday after they said they had two separate incidents where two students each brought a loaded firearm inside the school this week.
RELATED: 2 Cleveland Heights high school students found with loaded firearms this week
Both students were arrested, and the guns were confiscated.
“Students need to know that they cannot succeed in bringing weapons to school,” Dimoff said.
Dimoff encourages local districts to control how students get in and out of the building— using metal detectors, see-through backpacks and upgraded technology if accessible.
But out of everything, Dimoff said the best prevention method is the conversations parents can have at home with their kids, which one organization against gun violence plans to do next Wednesday at Cleveland schools.
“We number one have to hear the fear of the children. If you have a child, and they're saying, look, I'm afraid to go to school and I need this weapon, that's when we need to have conversations,” said Voices of Black Mothers United Ohio State Lead, Yvonne Pointer.
By standing with other mothers who have lost their children to homicide, Yvonne Pointer hopes to draw attention to a larger issue and show there are other ways to solve problems than using dangerous weapons.
“If people want to get involved, we have the pledge cards, we can get you this information. Everyone is going to have to do something to be a part of this solution,” said Pointer.
The pledge against gun violence will take place at Miles Park School in Cleveland at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
