17-year-old charged after prosecutors say he had a gun at Como Park High School

By KSTP

A 17-year-old has been charged after officers found a gun in his bag at Como Park High School, according to court documents.

The teen faces charges of possessing a firearm while being under 18 years old and having a dangerous weapon on school property.

As previously reported, St. Paul officers went to Como Park Senior High School on Oct. 4 as part of an active investigation into a shooting that took place at Washington Technology Magnet School back in January.

Security brought the teen outside and officers told him they were bringing him to headquarters, according to a juvenile petition. An officer told the teen that he would need to put his bag in the trunk of the squad car, but the teen put both hands on the bag and said he didn’t consent to a search.

The officer immediately became concerned that the teen had a weapon and grabbed the teen to remove the bag, court documents state. The teen dropped to the ground and tried to kick officers to escape.

According to court documents, multiple officers and security personnel were needed to gain control over the teen and take away the bag.

Once the situation was under control, officers looked inside the bag and found a firearm. It had a loaded magazine with live rounds, court documents said. There was also a weapon-mounted light affixed to the gun.

The next day, the teen told officers he found the gun in the school bathroom. He said it was the bathroom on the school’s first floor, near a stairwell, but said he couldn’t remember anything else.

When asked why he didn’t tell a school administrator about finding the gun, he claimed they didn’t like him.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS previously reported that 19-year-old Eh Doh Soe was charged in connection to the January shooting, in which a bullet grazed a school staff member. He pleaded guilty to a dangerous weapons charge late last month as part of a plea deal and is expected to be sentenced on Nov. 3.