Cleveland Heights parents and teachers demand increased safety measures after 2 guns were found in the high school in 1 week

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland Heights parents and teachers demand increased security in all of the district’s schools after classes were canceled at the high school on Friday. The district took the precaution.

The district took the precaution because two loaded guns were found on students in two separate incidents at the high school this week. The district says high school students and staff will return to the classroom with support in place on Monday, October 14.

The City of Cleveland Heights confirmed to 19 News that there was an attempted robbery of a student’s cell phone at gunpoint inside of a school bathroom this past Monday. The student victim was able to get away and alert administrators, the student who had the weapon was arrested and is facing felony gun charges.

A Cleveland Heightsspeaking father with two children in the district is speaking out about his fears, but asked that we not use his name, “There’s one thing when there’s an isolated incident, we understand the era we live in. We understand the gun violence in this country. We don’t understand how loaded guns are found in the high school three times in just over a month and two times in one week.”

But, 19 News has confirmed through the city of Cleveland Heights that since September 3, there have been four loaded guns recovered at Heights High School, and four students arrested and facing gun charges, Cleveland Heights' father says, “It’s the law of averages. A gun will only show up so many times before it goes off.”

Now parents questioning why metal detectors just installed at the high school this week -- were allegedly not even in use on Thursday, when one of the gun incidents happened, “On Thursday we were informed by students, gun not the administration or the school -- that the metal detectors were not used, and so here we are twice in four days -- and another loaded weapon.”

The Cleveland Heights father tells 19 News, “We don’t want to see our children die because of something that so easily could be prevented if we would put the policy in place.”,

As a concerned parent, the Cleveland Heights man says the school was locked down during the first incident involving a loaded gun in September, but he questions why the other incidents didn’t require a lockdown. He also questions why it took hours after the schools were closed for the day for parents and students to be informed about several other gun incidents. He feels parents should have been told about the attempted robbery at gunpoint inside the school, saying he only learned about that from the news.

The Cleveland Heights Teachers' Union also issued a statement urging the school board to install metal detectors in all of the schools. While many in the community worry about the nostalgia of the district being lost by increased safety tools, the union believes the metal detectors could ultimately save lives.