Teen pleads not guilty to bringing gun to St. Paul high school

A 16-year-old student at Central High School in St. Paul was charged on Monday in connection with the possession of a gun at school last week, according to documents from the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

Court records show the student was charged with one count of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a dangerous weapon on school property.

A spokesperson for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office said the 16-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday. He is due back in court on Dec. 5.

RELATED: Student in custody after gun found at Central High School

According to a juvenile petition, on Nov. 21, officers from the St. Paul Police Department were called to Central High School on Lexington Parkway North at around noon on a report of a student with a gun.

Officers were informed that the student had just transferred to Central High School. The complaint states the student allegedly handed his backpack to another student before going to meet with school officials to discuss school rules and expectations.

School officials said they found that behavior strange, so they got the backpack from the student and observed a black handgun inside the bag, according to the complaint.

The gun was identified as a 9 mm Polymer 80 pistol with an extended magazine. The pistol also had a round in its chamber, police said.

The student denied bringing the gun to school and told police he put his backpack in the lunchroom next to some people, the complaint states.

Court documents state that the student has a prior adjudication of delinquency for first-degree burglary and for possession of a firearm.