Wednesday, March 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Vaughn Middle School Vice Principal Pat Schellin disarmed the 14-year-old boy without incident.
None of the guns were loaded and no one was injured in the confrontation on Tuesday that involved the boy, Schellin, a teacher and 12 students in a reading class, school officials said.
"I've never heard of any kid of any age with this many weapons," district spokesman Steve Mulvenon said. "It was a small arsenal."
The incident unfolded shortly before the boy's second-period class when teachers noticed a commotion around the boy's locker, and a number of students told Schellin they had seen the youth remove weapons.
Schellin said when he confronted the boy, he pulled a Tec 9 pistol from his waistband and pointed it at him.
"He tried to be a tough guy about it. But you could see it in his eyes, and I know him well enough to know he wouldn't do anything," Schellin said.
Schellin demanded the gun and the boy handed it over, then pulled out another. The vice principal took that gun, also, then frisked the boy and found two more tucked in his waistband.
"Anytime you see that many weapons, especially with other students around, you get a little nervous," Schellin said.
Besides the Tec 9, the boy possessed a 9 mm and two .38-caliber semiautomatic handguns, officials said. School police also found a pair of nonchucks in the boy's locker.
The boy had been in trouble before, Schellin said, adding that he believes the incident was a cry for attention and not an attempt to hurt anyone.
"He really lacked the identity and self-esteem that we would like all kids to have," Schellin said. "During the whole thing, his motive was that people would start paying attention to him."
The boy was arrested on 14 weapons-related charges and taken to juvenile detention. He also faces possible expulsion from school.
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