Stahl: School-shooting threat stemmed from student seeking help in unloading gun

Without going into great detail, Maricopa Police Chief Steve Stahl painted a clearer picture Saturday of what was thought to be a school-shooting threat at Desert Wind Middle School this week.

Stahl said a student was seeking help from a friend in unloading a gun in which he inserted the wrong caliber bullet.

A community member asked about what happened at the middle school during the police department’s monthly Coffee with the Chief, an event open to residents where they can ask Stahl questions or bring up any concerns they have about the community.

Stahl told residents he couldn’t go into “great detail” about the incident because it was still under investigation. Two students – ages 12 and 13 – were arrested Thursday on suspicion of disorderly conduct involving weapons, disruption of an education facility and possession of a deadly weapon on school grounds.

A .380 pistol was found at the school as well as a 9 mm bullet.

“The general gist is this,” Stahl said. “A young gentleman took a gun without parental permission and stuck the wrong caliber bullet in the gun and couldn’t get it out. So, he takes it to school because he thinks his buddy knows a little more about guns and can probably help him get it out.”

Stahl went on to say that the student showed the gun around and “that word gets back to the teachers, and of course it spins into he wants to harm somebody, he plans on shooting somebody.”

“He only had one bullet and it wasn’t going to fire,” Stahl said.

The police chief said the incident “was a lot to do about nothing.”

He added: “At the same time, it did prove to the community, to the school, to the police department that we can handle those things very quickly had that been somebody who intended to do harm.”

Desert Wind Middle School went into lockdown and police searched the school when they responded. Stahl gave the students, a school staff member and his officers “kudos” for their response to the situation.