boys talking

8-Year-Old Florida Student Prevents Potential School Shooting

An 8-year-old elementary student is being called a hero after he alerted security at his school that his classmate had shown him a gun in the bathroom.

An 8-year-old student saved his Florida elementary school from a potential mass shooting when he alerted the school’s security that one of his classmates had a loaded gun.

Blake Johnson said he was in the restroom at Hudson Elementary School when another student showed him a loaded 9mm pistol in his backpack.

Shortly after that, a school security guard caught them hanging out in the bathroom and told them to get back to class. It was then that Johnson decided to stay back and tell the guard what he saw.

"Immediately the school security guard acted and went right to that room where that child was and grabbed his backpack," said Capt. Chris Beaman with the Pasco Sheriff's Office to WTFS. "Our school security did what they were supposed to do. Our school administrators did what they were supposed to do."

The student who had the gun was 8 years old as well and faces possible criminal charges.

According to deputies, no was hurt in the incident.

School administration did alert parents of what took place, and that is when Johnson’s mother, Laynie, found out what happened. However, it was not until he got home that she found out he was the hero.

"I'm happy that he knows what to do and I'm happy that he was brave enough to do it," she said to MSN. "I'm very proud."


About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • A.C. Camargo Cancer Center Enhances Security, Patient Care with Help from Advanced Video Surveillance

    A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, a leading oncology treatment center in São Paulo, Brazil recognized for its history of innovation, today announced that its partnership with Axis Communications has produced savings of more than $2 million over its first two years, all of which will be reinvested in patient care. A.C. Camargo has deployed more than 2,000 state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras throughout the Center’s corridors, complex care units, and parking lots, embracing a more holistic approach to security that emphasizes patient and employee safety along with improved quality of service. Read Now

  • 2025 Secure Campus Award Winners Announced

    Campus Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 Secure Campus Award winners. Twenty companies are being recognized this year for products that help keep education and business campuses safe. Read Now

  • K-12 School Safety Trends Report Shows Training, Technology Are Saving Lives

    CENTEGIX, the industry leader and most widely adopted wearable safety technology provider for K-12 education, today released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, the only comprehensive and data-rich analysis of school safety available in the wearable panic button market. The report identifies and outlines the top tech and legislative movements relevant to school safety in the U.S. and draws on data collected in the 2024/2025 school year through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, including more than 265,000 incidents of CrisisAlert use. Read Now

  • Survey: Fewer Than 20 Percent of School Leaders Consider Their Main Entrance “Completely Secure”

    Singlewire Software, provider of solutions that help keep people safe and informed, releases the findings of its inaugural School Entrance Security Report, which captured responses from more than 500 school staff members across the United States. This research highlights the concerns and challenges schools are facing in securing their entrances and keeping students and staff safe from potential threats Read Now