Cousin Of Student Who Brought Gun To Middle School Arrested
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MIAMI GARDENS (CBSMiami) – Police are trying to figure out the motive of a 13-year-old girl who they say brought a gun to her middle school Wednesday morning.
According to a spokesman with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the girl is a student at Carol City Middle School located at 37th Avenue and 188th Street.
A security monitor at the school stopped the girl before classes started and found a gun, said the spokesman. From there they called police, prompting an investigation.
She faces several charges, including attempted assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed firearm.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools released a statement on the incident, saying, in part, "The quick-thinking actions of school staff helped avert a potential tragedy today at Carol City Middle School."
They also reminded parents of how close they may have come to a bad situation.
"We want to remind every parent and member of our community that storing firearms properly can potentially save lives. It is not only prudent, but a legal requirement."
It's a legal requirement that landed the girl's 34-year-old cousin in jail.
Police said the teenager got the weapon out of Kerry Watkins' room inside his drawer.
The police report says they also found a "22 caliber AR style rifle in his closet. Detectives removed the rifle from the closet and discovered that it had a loaded magazine inserted containing 31 rounds of live ammunition and no locking device."
Watkins is being charged with a misdemeanor for failure to secure a weapon from a minor.
