VERO BEACH — A Vero Beach High School student was detained after deputies found a loaded 9 mm handgun, along with a magazine containing 10 rounds, inside his backpack after he walked through a metal detector early Thursday. Classes had not yet started when the incident took place, said sheriff’s Capt. Joe Abollo, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies later learned the firearm was stolen out of Okeechobee County. Abollo said there was no threat made to the 2,636-student campus located at 1707 16th Street in Vero Beach.
Michael Anthony Bell Jr., 18, of Fort Pierce, was charged with attempting to enter a school property with a weapon or firearm, carrying an unlicensed firearm, grand theft of firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bell was held Thursday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
Abollo said Bell walked through the metal detectors when one of the machines alerted the school resource officers to an item inside Bell’s bag. Deputies searched the backpack and found the gun and magazine.
Abollo said deputies ran the serial number of the firearm and discovered it was stolen.
Deputies arrested Bell and booked him into the county jail. Details on Bell’s arraignment were not immediately available.
School District officials were not immediately available to comment.
