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Police: Student armed with loaded handgun arrested during Astronaut High Jr. Varsity Football game

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A 17-year-old Astronaut High School student armed with a loaded handgun was arrested Thursday night just steps away from the school’s football field where a game was in progress.

According to police, a 911 caller reported that a student at the Jr. Varsity Football game may have a handgun.

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Deputy Titusville Police Chief Todd Hutchinson says an alert officer who was actually heading home for the day decided to help.

“He takes it upon himself to just start driving around, circling the whole school area,” Hutchinson said.

Officers spotted the student just off school property and tried to detain him, but say the juvenile ran towards the football field where a game was underway with fans in the stands.

Police say a School Resource Officer deployed a taser on the student, stopping them near the entrance to the field.

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Officers searched the student and found the handgun.

“This is exactly why our department is so committed to having highly trained SRO’s at every school and at football games,” Hutchinson said.

Police say they’re familiar with the student and are now trying to determine what their intentions were.

Astronaut High School Principal Kristin Miller sent a message to parents informing them of the incident.

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The student faces charges of possession of a firearm and two counts of resisting an officer.

Police say they’re still trying to determine exactly how the student acquired the gun.

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Karen Parks

Karen Parks, WFTV.com

Karen Parks is a reporter at WFTV.