PLANT CITY, Fla. – A situation at Plant City High School took a serious turn yesterday when a 12th-grade student was arrested for allegedly carrying a loaded firearm on campus.
The incident unfolded around 2:00 p.m. on April 21, 2026, after a Hillsborough County School Resource Deputy received a tip that a student might have a weapon. Acting on that information, the deputy and school administrators located 18-year-old Isai Luciano Jijon Blas and conducted a search of his backpack. Inside, they discovered a loaded handgun.
Authorities quickly took the teenager into custody without further incident. Blas now faces two charges: possession of a weapon on school property and carrying a concealed firearm.
In a statement following the arrest, Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed deep concern over the recent trend of weapons appearing in local schools. He noted that this is not an isolated event, mentioning that several students have been arrested for similar actions in just the last few days.
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“Bringing a firearm onto a school campus is reckless, dangerous, and completely unacceptable,” Chronister said. “This is not a mistake; it is a crime. We will not tolerate weapons on our campuses, and anyone who chooses to bring one will be arrested and held accountable.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the investigation into the circumstances of the incident is still ongoing.
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