A tense morning unfolded at Vigor High School in Prichard after a 14-year-old student brought a handgun onto campus and tried twice to fire it during a confrontation with a classmate, according to Prichard police.
A department spokeswoman said the teen pulled a .22-caliber revolver during an altercation and pulled the trigger on two separate attempts, but the weapon failed to discharge either time. School staff moved quickly to restrain the student before anyone was hurt.
“The gun clicked, but it didn’t go off,” the spokeswoman said, describing the moments before the student was taken into custody by school administrators.
Officers responded to the campus shortly after the confrontation and took the student into custody. He was transported to the Strickland Youth Center, where he was booked as a minor in possession of a firearm while the investigation continued.
Police said additional charges could still be filed as investigators sort out exactly what led to the confrontation and whether the intended target of the gun was a specific classmate. The spokeswoman noted that the department has taken an aggressive posture toward prosecuting firearm-related cases involving students in recent years, particularly after a string of incidents connected to the rivalry between local high schools.
The scare came just months after a football game between Vigor and a rival school was halted amid fears of gunfire nearby, underscoring ongoing safety concerns among parents and school officials in the Prichard area.
No injuries were reported in connection with the campus incident, and classes continued once the situation was resolved. Mobile County school officials did not immediately comment on any additional security measures being considered in response.
The case remains under investigation, with the Strickland Youth Center holding the teen pending further legal proceedings in juvenile court.
Community members in Prichard have voiced concern over recent tensions tied to student conflicts, and Wednesday’s incident renewed calls for closer coordination between school administrators and local law enforcement to prevent weapons from reaching campus in the first place.