Teen Caught with Gun at School

A Riviera Beach teen was arrested at an alternative school Monday for having a loaded handgun on school grounds. Police say they went to the school after someone left an anonymous note on a teacher's desk, that there might be a student in the classroom with a gun.

When they got to the school, they noticed one of the students, Brandon Graham, 18, had a bulge in his pants pocket and police found the gun.

Luckily police caught this in time, there was no shooting.

But one parent says the people in charge of this academy should've notified parents about what happened. Police arrested 18 year old Brandon Graham at school after they say he had a loaded .25 caliber handgun in his pocket at the Drop Back In Academy on West 20th Street, an educational program for students who have left public school and are trying to get a high school diploma.

"I feel the security has to be beefed up so that every precaution is taken that this doesn't happen again," said Carla Epps, a parent whose daughter attends the academy.

Epps says the school needs metal detectors.

She had no idea another student was caught at school with a loaded handgun until we told her when she stopped at the school Tuesday to pick up her daughter.

"I'm a little concerned because had I not seen Channel 12 here and said let me get out of my car and see what the problem is, I would have not known what took place yesterday," Epps said.

She feels the school should've notified parents.

"I'm not okay with that. And I will take an extra step into finding out why it wasn't done," Epps said.

Alternatives Unlimited, which runs the academy, had no comment. A catholic church allows them to use a classroom in one of its buildings, and the pastor there came outside to see us.

"I'm asking you to leave the premises," said Rev. Arthur Obin, pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

"What changes if any are you gonna make to security to stop this from happening again? What kind of changes can we make?" Rev. Obin replied.

"I don't know, we had a parent saying you should have the kids going through a metal detector before they enter the classroom. Give me a break. Well that's what she said. Give me a break," Rev. Obin replied.

Epps told us she's concerned about security at this academy, but not worried enough to pull her daughter out of the school yet.

Why exactly this teen had a loaded handgun at school is not clear. It had 8 bullets in it. Police say he refused to give them a statement when he was arrested.

Graham was charged with carrying a concealed firearm and possession of a weapon at school.  We could not reach his parents for comment. No one came to the door when we went to Graham's house.