Teen charged with bringing gun to Lehigh Acres school

A 15-year-old former Lehigh Acres student who said he wanted to see his friends was arrested on suspicion of having a gun on campus after sneaking into the school.

David Abel Rodriguez, who lives in the 4300 block of West 13th Street, was charged with trespassing on school grounds with a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report:

A gate security guard told a deputy two boys were trying to enter school property at 901 Gunnery Road, and had failed to leave about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. The deputy saw the two walking toward the gate, but still on school property. Sheriff's Cpl. Andrew Penny recognized one of the boys as a former Lehigh Senior High School student. The boys said they were there to see friends. It was not clear where the boy now attends school, but his booking sheet lists him as a student.

A few minutes later Penny saw the one boys standing alone and asked him if the other boy had sneaked back onto the school’s campus and if he was there to start trouble with another student. The boy became nervous and said: “Deputy Penny, you should probably check him out.”

Penny then asked the boy if the other boy had something he shouldn’t have and the teen said "yes."

The deputy found the other boy coming out of the northeast corner of the main school building and went to put him under arrest for trespassing. While searching him, the deputy found a semi-automatic handgun tucked in his waistcoat.

An assistant principal spoke to Rodriguez, who said he was given the gun by a friend on the bus ramp. The gun was not reported stolen.

The other boy was not arrested.