Students suspended in knife incident

Three students from Luther Burbank Middle School remain suspended after one of them brought a pocketknife to campus on Tuesday, police said.

Officers responded to a call at 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday about a 14-year-old child bringing a weapon to school and making threats to use it against others, said Sgt. Robert Quesada.

School officials received word that the student allegedly brought the pocketknife to campus the day before, Burbank Unified Supt. Stan Carrizosa said. The student, whom officials did not identify, was interviewed to determine where he had put the knife and he then was suspended. Police also arrested him on suspicion of making threats with a dangerous weapon and conspiring to keep it hidden.

“We did know that students saw him in possession of the knife and that he may have hidden it on campus,” Carrizosa said.

The student’s two friends, ages 13 and 14, also were suspended for allegedly not disclosing their knowledge of the knife, Carrizosa added. They also were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to use and hide the knife, police said, although school officials were working to determine their intent.

Their identities also were not made available.

After a brief search of the campus, the knife was found on the roof of one of the buildings, Quesada said.

School officials were able to trace the knife back to the child, who also faces expulsion pending the outcome of the campus investigation.

The suspensions on Wednesday were automatic, per school policy, Carrizosa said.

“We had the appropriate disciplinary action,” he said. “We need to investigate the whole context of circumstances surrounding the incident, such as why the student felt the need to bring the knife to school and what exactly is going on with them before determining further punishment.”

The students were released into the custody of their parents at the police station. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.