HOUSTON – A Worthing High School student accused of bringing a gun to school in his backpack was arrested Monday morning, campus officials said.
The 11th-grade student, 17-year-old Daleylin Leek, came to school Monday morning smelling of marijuana, according to Houston Independent School District police. An administrator smelled the aroma as Leek passed him in the hall and notified a school police officer, officials said. Leek was escorted to the principal’s office to be searched where he admitted he had a pistol in his backpack, police said.
A .40 caliber automatic pistol was found in Leek’s backpack, police said. There were hollow-point three rounds in the magazine, but none in the chamber, police said. Leek told the officer that the gun belonged to a friend and that he brought it to school to return it to him, police said.
HISD released the following written statement Tuesday afternoon:
“A Worthing High School student was found to be in possession of a weapon on campus. Houston ISD police responded, the weapon was confiscated, and no one was injured. Please know that we take these situations very seriously, as the safety of our students and staff is always our absolute top priority.”
Lawrence Harper said he learned of the arrest Tuesday as he waited to pick up his daughter after school
“My daughter goes here,” Harper said. “And it seems like it’s citywide the way it’s going on. It needs to stop really.”
On Tuesday, prosecutors asked a judge that a $25,000 cash bond be posted to release Daleylin Leek while he awaits trial for possession of a prohibited weapon. The magistrate set his bond at $5,000.
Leek remains in custody as of Tuesday.
Leek’s mother, Deiondra Gattlin, talked with KPRC 2 Tuesday afternoon, saying her son didn’t bring the weapon to school with the intent of hurting anyone.
“He knows better than that. He was raised better than that," Gattlin said.