Tip Leads To Safe Capture Of 15-Year-Old With Firearm At Pryor And Locust Grove Football Game

Mayes County School Resource Officers say a tip helped them arrest a 15-year-old with a gun at the Pryor and Locust Grove football game Friday night. 

Deputies say they were able to quickly find the teen, get the gun, and take the teen into custody without anyone getting hurt.

Deputies say it was a Pryor High School student who had the gun at the game. 

Sheriff Mike Reed says this is why he pushed so hard to get SROs and says it's why they train for these types of scenarios because it’s not a matter of if but “when” something bad happens. 

Deputies say late in the third quarter of the Pryor-Locust Grove Football game, a parent and student alerted school resource officers that a student at the game had a gun in his pocket. 

 “Public safety is obviously number one. That’s why we removed him to the side, away from everybody, to try to minimize the risk. We did a pat search and recovered a firearm that way," said Mayes County SRO Corporal Austin Hershberger. 

Corporal Hershberger says he and four other school resource officers were working the game and said this is why they preach to students if you see something, say something. 

"They potentially saved something bad from happening, and again just reiterate the fact if you see something, say something. It takes a community to keep all our kids safe. That’s why we are pushing to add more school resource officers," said Hershberger. 

Sheriff Reed has pushed for years to get SROs in the county because he believes they are key in keeping children safe. The sheriff’s office got two SROs a couple of years ago, and now it has 5 SROs working at the schools and sporting events. In July, all Mayes County deputies and SROs trained for active shooter situations for a week at Locust Grove Schools. 

"Getting the right people in the right place at the right time, that have the right heart to do this job for the right reasons. That’s what it is about. You surround yourself with those type of people, and then when these things happen, you sure have a better chance of coming out on top," said Reed. 

Corporal Hershberger says they take their job seriously. 

“It is a very vital role that we play. It’s more of establishing relationships with the students, learning them, know when they are having a bad day, and kind of be there for them. Let them see the good side of law enforcement, but then in these types of situations, we are there to handle it and keep people safe as well," said Hershberger. 

Sheriff Reed says he expects to have a total of seven school resources working in the county by the end of this year.